The  Battle  of  Lake  Erie 

September,  1813 


One  hundred  fifty 
copies  were  printed 
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COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY,  ABOUT  1815 


The  Battle  of  Lake  Erie 

A  Collection  of  Documents,  chiefly  by  Commo 
dore  PERRY:    including  the  Court-martial 
of  Commander  BARCLAY  fi-9  the  Court 
of  Enquiry  on  Captain  ELLIOTT: 
edited, with  Introduction,  An- 
notations, Bibliography,  fi-9 
Analytical  Index, by 

CHARLES  OSCAR  PAULLIN 


ortraits  ^facsimiles)  and  map 


Cleveland:  The  ROWFANT  Club 
O&ober,  1918 


COPYRIGHT,    IQi,  BY 

THE  ROWFANT  CLUB 


CONTENTS 

PREFACE 13 

INTRODUCTION 17 

1  COMMODORE  OLIVER   HAZARD   PERRY  TO   MAJOR- 

GENERAL  WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON,  SEPTEM- 
BER 10,  1813 43 

2  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 

OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  10, 
1813 49 

3  LIEUTENANT  GEORGE  INGLIS  TO  COMMANDER  ROB- 

ERT HERIOT  BARCLAY,  SEPTEMBER  10,  1813        .       53 

4  EXTRACT  FROM  THE  DIARY  OF  DR.  USHER  PARSONS, 

SEPTEMBER  10,  1813    .        .     -i:';";       ...       57 

5  COMMODORE  OLIVER   HAZARD   PERRY  TO   MAJOR- 

GENERAL  WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON,  SEPTEM- 
BER n,  1813 61 

6  COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY  TO  COM- 

MODORE SIR  JAMES  YEO,  SEPTEMBER  12,  1813     .      67 

7  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 

OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  13, 

1813 79 

8  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 

OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  13, 

1813 9i 

9  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  MAJOR- 

GENERAL  WlLLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON,  SEPTEM- 
BER 15,   1813 95 

10  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 
OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  17, 
I8l3 99 


CONTENTS 


11  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 

OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  18, 
1813 103 

12  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 

OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  20, 
1813 109 

13  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES  TO  COM- 

MODORE OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY,  SEPTEMBER  21, 
1813 113 

14  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES  TO  COM- 

MODORE OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY,  SEPTEMBER  22, 
1813 119 

15  DR.  USHER  PARSONS  TO  WILLIAM  PARSONS,  SEP- 

TEMBER 22,   1813 123 

1 6  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES  TO  COM- 

MODORE OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY,  SEPTEMBER  29, 
1813 129 

17  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY 

OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  OCTOBER  16,  1813     133 

18  COURT-MARTIAL  OF  COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT 

BARCLAY,  SEPTEMBER,  1814        ....     137 

19  COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  CAPTAIN  JESSE  D.  ELLIOTT, 

APRIL,   1815         .......     171 

A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE  .        .    205 
ANALYTICAL  INDEX .215 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PORTRAIT  OF  COMMODORE  HAZARD  PERRY,  ABOUT  1815        4 

From  a  portrait  by  Rembrandt  Peale.     In  the  collection 

of  the  New  York  Historical  Society 

MAP  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE  ....       25 
REDUCED  FACSIMILE  OF  A  DISPATCH  OF  COMMODORE 

PERRY  TO  SECRETARY  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  10,  1813  .       48 

From  the  original  manuscript  in  the  United  States 
Navy  Department  Archives,  Washington,  D.C. 

PORTRAIT  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM  HENRY  HAR- 
RISON, 1815 63 

From  the  Portfolio  (Philadelphia,  1815),  third  series, 
vol.  v,  305 

REDUCED  FACSIMILE  OF  THE  LETTER  OF  COMMODORE 
OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY  TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 
JONES 108 

From  the  original  manuscript  in  the  United  States 
Navy  Department  Archives,  Washington,  D.C. 

GLORIOUS  NEWS 115 

Facsimile  of  a  broadside  announcing  the  victory.  From 
the  original  in  the  collection  of  the  New  York  Historical 
Society 

PORTRAIT  OF  COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY 
R.N.,  ABOUT  1820 149 

From  a  photograph  in  the  Library  of  the  United  States 
Navy  Department,  Washington,  D.C.  The  original  paint- 
ing is  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Theodore  C.  Barclay, 
Edinburgh 


PREFACE 


PREFACE 

The  documents  selected  for  publication  in  this 
volume  are  chiefly  of  an  official  character,  and  are 
those  of  greatest  interest  and  probative  value. 
There  are  other  documents,  to  be  sure,  which  the 
future  historian  of  the  battle  will  wish  to  read, 
such  as  the  affidavits  of  Perry's  officers  and  Perry's 
charges  against  Captain  Elliott,  but  these  are  un- 
official and  are  biased.  Moreover,  to  have  in- 
cluded them  would  have  swelled  the  book  beyond 
its  prescribed  limits.  About  one  half  of  the  docu- 
ments here  presented  have  not  been  previously  pub- 
lished, and  many  of  those  that  have  been  published 
are  now  issued  in  a  more  complete  and  precise 
form. 

The  editor  wishes  to  thank  the  officials  of  the 
United  States  Navy  Department  and  the  Library 
of  Congress  in  Washington  and  of  the  Public 
Record  Office  in  London  for  the  facilities  afforded 
him  in  collecting  materials  for  this  volume.  He 
is  under  special  obligations  to  Mr.  Charles  West 
Stewart,  superintendent  of  the  Library  and  Naval 
War  Records  Office,  to  Captain  Richard  Thomas 
Mulligan,  U.S.N.,  assistant  to  the  Bureau  of  Navi- 
gation, and  to  Mr.  Goodloe  Earle  Yancey,  chief 


14  PR.EFACE 

clerk  of  that  bureau ;  all  of  the  United  States  Navy 
Department,  Washington,  D.C. 

CHARLES  OSCAR  PAULLIN 
Washington,  D.C.,  March  25,  1918 


INTRODUCTION 


INTRODUCTION 

The  primary  theater  of  war  in  our  second  con- 
flict with  Great  Britain,  1812-1815,  was  the  St. 
Lawrence  water-system  and  the  adjacent  territory 
on  each  side  of  it.  One  of  the  two  secondary  the- 
aters of  war  was  the  maritime  frontier  and  Atlantic 
seaboard,  stretching  from  Maine  to  Louisiana 
(with  the  exception  of  Florida)  ;  and  the  other,  the 
deep  sea,  including  the  Atlantic,  Pacific,  and  In- 
dian Oceans.  The  Battle  of  Lake  Erie  was  fought 
in  the  western  part  of  the  primary  theater  of  war, 
on  September  10,  1813,  midway  in  time  between 
the  commencement  of  the  conflict  in  June,  1812, 
and  its  close  in  February,  1815. 

This  battle  was  the  turning  point  of  the  war  in 
the  west.  Previous  to  it,  the  American  offensive 
campaign  in  that  quarter  had  been  uniformly  un- 
successful. In  the  summer  of  1812,  General  Isaac 
Hull,  who  had  advanced  into  Canada  and  had  be- 
sieged Maiden,  abandoned  the  siege,  retreated  to 
Detroit,  and  there  surrendered  that  post  and  his 
army  to  the  British.  About  the  same  time  Fort 
Michilimackinac,  near  the  junction  of  Lake  Hu- 
ron with  Lake  Michigan,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy;  and  Fort  Dearborn,  on  the  present  site  of 
Chicago,  was  abandoned.  The  American  military 


i8 BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

boundary  in  the  Northwest  was  pushed  southward 
to  the  line  of  the  Wabash  and  Maumee  Rivers. 
Lake  Erie  was  held5 by  the  enemy  by  reason  of  his 
naval  superiority  on  that  water. 

Having  obtained  possession  of  a  considerable 

'  part  of  the  American  Northwest,  the  British  car- 
ried the  war  south  and  southwest  of  Lake  Erie. 

"~ln  September,  1812,  they  sent  an  expedition  against 
Fort  Wayne,  Indiana.  In  May,  1813,  they  be- 
sieged Fort  Meigs  on  the  Maumee  River,  and  in 
August  they  attacked  Fort  Stephenson  on  the  San- 
dusky  River.  Each  of  these  movements  failed. 

Early  in  1813,  with  a  view  to  recovering  the 
ground  lost  in  the  previous  year,  General  William 
Henry  Harrison,  who  had  succeeded  Hull  as  com- 
mander of  the  American  army  in  the  west,  assumed 
the  offensive.  In  January  a  division  of  his  army 
reached  the  Raisin  River  in  southern  Michigan, 
and  was  there  defeated  and  captured  by  the  Brit- 
ish. Harrison  was  compelled  to  abandon  his  plan 
of  advancing  into  the  enemy's  territory  by  land, 
and  to  apply  himself  to  the  defense  of  his  military 
frontier  on  the  Maumee  and  Sandusky  Rivers. 
Having  successfully  defended  Forts  Meigs  and 
Stephenson,  he  made  preparations  to  advance  into 
Canada  by  way  of  Lake  Erie.  In  the  summer  of 
1813,  he  collected  an  army  along  the  line  of  the 
Sandusky  River  and  established  his  headquarters 
at  Senecatown  or  Fort  Seneca,  ten  miles  up  the 
Sandusky  from  Fort  Stephenson,  which  was  sit- 
uated about  ten  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river 


INTRODUCTION 19 

at  Sandusky  Bay.  Some  forty  miles  across  the 
lake,  on  the  Canada  side  of  the  Detroit  River,  near 
its  mouth,  was  Amherstburg,  where  the  British 
had  a  naval  depot,  and  Fort  Maiden,  which  was 
occupied  by  British  troops.  These  were  Harri- 
son's objectives.  His  passage  across  the  lake,  how- 
ever, was  blocked  by  the  British  fleet,  which  was  in 
possession  of  that  water.  The  outcome  of  his  sec- 
ond plan  for  offensive  operations  for  1813  depend- 
ed upon  a  trial  at  arms  between  the  British  and 
American  naval  forces  on  the  lake.  By  August 
his  preparations  were  nearing  completion,  and  he 
anxiously  awaited  the  coming  of  the  American 
squadron,  with  whose  commander  he  had  been  in 
correspondence  for  several  months. 

When  the  war  began,  the  Americans  had  no 
naval  force  on  Lake  Erie.  As  the  enemy  soon  as- 
sembled a  small  fleet  there,  he  held  undisputed 
sway  over  that  great  natural  highway  which 
formed  a  most  important  part  of  his  line  of  com- 
munication between  Lower  and  Upper  Canada, 
and  along  which  he  transported  troops  and  mili- 
tary supplies.  On  his  possession  of  Lake  Erie 
depended  his  ability  to  hold  Upper  Canada  (west 
of  the  Niagara  River),  Michigan,  and  the  North- 
west. Early  in  the  war  the  Americans  had  recog- 
nized the  need  of  a  naval  force  on  Lake  Erie,  and 
on  September  7,  1812,  Commodore  Isaac  Chaun- 
cey,  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  naval  forces  on 
the  lakes,  with  headquarters  at  Sacketts  Harbor, 
New  York,  sent  Master-commandant  Jesse  Duncan 


20  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Elliott  to  Buffalo  to  select  a  site  for  building  ves- 
sels. Here  in  the  fall  of  that  year  a  small  fleet  was 
assembled.  On  February  17  of  the  following  year, 
Commodore  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,1  who  had  been 
stationed  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  in  command 
of  a  flotilla,  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
fleet  intended  for  service  on  Lake  Erie.  On  March 
27,  he  arrived  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  not  far  from 
the  eastern  end  of  the  lake,  where  he  found  under 
construction  the  two  sister-ships  Lawrence  and 
Niagara.  They  were  brig-rigged,  and  of  four 
hundred  eighty  tons  burden.  In  June  he  removed 
to  Erie  the  five  vessels  that  had  been  collected  at 
Buffalo.  To  these  he  added  three  other  small 
craft,  making  a  fleet  of  ten  vessels,  all  but  one  of 
which  participated  in  the  battle  of  September  10. 
Small  as  these  vessels  were,  it  was  necessary  to 
remove  the  guns  from  the  larger  ones  before  they 
would  pass  over  Erie  Bar,  which  lay  outside  Erie 
Harbor.  The  existence  of  this  bar  made  it  pos- 
sible for  the  British  fleet,  which  was  blockading 
Erie,  to  pen  up  Perry's  forces  and  render  them  use- 

1  Perry  was  born  in  South  Kingston,  Rhode  Island,  on  August  23 
[this  date  is  also  given  August  20  and  August  21],  1785.  During  the 
Revolutionary  War  his  father,  Captain  Christopher  Raymond  Perry, 
served  both  on  land  and  at  sea,  and  from  1798  to  1801  in  the  navy  of 
the  United  States.  The  son  entered  the  navy  as  a  midshipman  on 
April  7,  1798,  and  became  a  lieutenant  on  January  15,  1807,  and  a 
master-commandant  on  August  28,  1812.  He  served  in  the  naval 
war  with  France  and  in  the  Tripolitan  War,  and  after  the  latter 
struggle  he  commanded  several  vessels  detailed  for  duty  on  the  At- 
lantic coast.  Early  in  the  War  of  1812  he  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  Newport  flotilla.  When  appointed  commander  of  the  squadron 
on  Lake  Erie,  he  was  twenty-seven  and  a  half  years  of  age. 


INTRODUCTION  21 

less.  Fortunately,  at  an  opportune  moment,  the 
British  commander  relaxed  the  blockade,  and 
Perry  was  able  to  reach  the  open  lake.  At  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening  of  August  4,  the  day  on 
which  he  succeeded  in  this  undertaking,  Perry 
wrote  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  dating  his  letter 
from  his  flag-ship,  Lawrence,  at  anchor  outside  of 
Erie  Bar: 

I  have  great  pleasure  in  informing  you  that  I  have 
succeeded  after  almost  incredible  labour  and  fatigue  to 
the  men,  in  getting  all  the  vessels  I  have  been  able  to  man 
over  the  bar,  viz.  Lawrence,  Niagara,  Caledonia,  Ariel, 
Scorpion,  Somers,  Tigress,  and  Porcupine.  They  are 
neither  well  officered  or  manned,  but  as  the  exigency  of 
Genrl.  Harrison  and  the  whole  of  the  Western  Country 
is  such,  I  have  determined  to  proceed  on  service.  My 
government,  should  I  be  unsuccessfull,  I  trust  will  justly 
appreciate  the  motives  which  have  governed  me  in  this 
determination.2 

Shortly  after  reaching  the  open  lake,  Perry  vis- 
ited Long  Point,  the  enemy's  naval  station  opposite 
Erie.  Of  this  visit  he  wrote  thus  to  the  secretary 
on  August  8 : 

I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  I  have  returned  from 
Long  Point  without  having  seen  the  enemy;  we  are  now 
busily  employed  in  getting  in  ballast,  provisions,  and  pro- 
curing volunteers  from  the  militia.  I  propose  sailing  this 
evening  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 

Genl.  Harrison  writes  me  -  the  enemy  launched  their 
new  ship  on  the  I7th  ult.  If  she  is  equipped,  they  will  be 
considerably  superior  in  guns  to  us.  It  is  much  to  be  re- 

2  Masters'  Commandant  Letters,  United  States  Navy  Department 
Archives,  1813,  no.  93. 


22  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

gretted  that  our  force  could  not  have  been  got  out  before ; 
nothing  but  the  hope  of  meeting  their  fleet  before  the  new 
ship3  is  ready  could  induce  me  to  sail  at  this  time,  officered 
and  manned  as  this  squadron  is.* 

A  few  days  later  Perry  was  joined  by  Master- 
commandant  Jesse  Duncan  Elliott,  with  one 
hundred  officers  and  men,  and  on  August  12  he 
proceeded  westward,  writing  as  follows  to  the  sec- 
retary nine  days  thereafter,  from  off  Sandusky  Bay: 

I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  I  sailed  from  Erie  on 
the  1 2th  inst.,  and  arrived  off  this  place  on  the  i6th,  and 
immediately  took  steps  for  communicating  with  General 
Harrison;  on  the  igth  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  him 
on  board.  He  is  not  yet  ready  to  advance.  I  shall  therefore 
sail  for  Maiden  immediately  and  offer  the  enemy  battle.  * 
I  chaced  on  the  I7th  with  the  squadron  one  of  the  small 
vessels  of  war  of  the  enemy.  She  escaped  by  night  coming 
on  and  running  among  the  small  islands,  when  we  were 
nearly  up  with  her.5 

Perry  established  his  headquarters  at  Put-in- 
Bay,  an  indentation  on  the  northern  coast  of  South 
Bass  Island,  which  lies  some  twenty  miles  north- 
west of  the  present  city  of  Sandusky,  Ohio.  Here 
he  was  in  excellent  position  to  watch  the  move- 
ments of  the  British  fleet,  which  had  retired  to  its 
headquarters  at  Amherstburg,  some  thirty  miles 
northwestward  of  Put-in-Bay.  He  was  also  con- 
venient to  Harrison,  who  was  at  Seneca-town,  thir- 
ty-five miles  to  the  southward.  A  notion  of  his 
movements  during  the  last  days  of  August  and  the 

3  The  Detroit. 

4  Masters'  Commandant  Letters,  1813,  no.   101. 

5  —  Ibid.,  no.  in. 


INTRODUCTION  23 

first  days  of  September  may  be  obtained  from  a  let- 
ter which  he  wrote  to  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  off 
Sandusky  Bay  on  September  2 : 

I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you  that  I  anchored  this 
afternoon  with  the  squadron  at  this  place  for  the  purpose 
of  communicating  with  Genl.  Harrison. 

Since  I  last  did  myself  the  honour  of  writing  you  I 
have  been  twice  off  Maiden-first  on  the  24th  and  25th  of 
last  month  and  again  yesterday.  Owing  to  a  severe  in- 
disposition which  confined  me  to  my  berth  I  was  under 
the  necessity  of  anchoring  the  squadron  off  Bass  Island,  a 
situation  which  commanded  the  principal  passage.  The 
moment  I  was  able  to  be  on  deck  I  again  sailed  for  Mai- 
den and  was  yesterday  all  day  off  that  place,  close  in. 
Their  new  ship  is  rigged,  has  top  gallant  yards  athwart, 
and  is  anchored  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbour  under  the 
guns  of  a  battery,  together  with  other  vessels  — viz.  the 
Queen  Charlotte,  Hunter,  Lady  Prevost,  a  sloop  and 
schooner.  Three  other  vessels  are  lying  at  the  navy  wharf. 

The  crews  of  the  different  vessels  have  suffered  much 
from  a  complaint  occasioned,  it  is  supposed,  by  the  water. 
Many  are  still  sick.8  ., 

The  moment  that  Perry  reached  the  open  lake 
from  Erie,  the  naval  superiority  on  Lake  Erie 
shifted  from  the  British  to  the  Americans,  and  the 
former  were  compelled  to  act  on  the  defensive. 
The  British  fleet  was  commanded  by  Commander 
Robert  Heriot  Barclay,7  whose  flag-ship,  the  De- 

6  Masters'  Commandant  Letters,  1813,  no.  115. 

7  Barclay  had   fought  as   a  lieutenant   at  Trafalgar  under   Nelson, 
where  he  lost  an  arm.     "Our  father  with  one  arm,"  Tecumseh  called 
him.     He   was   made    a   commander   in    1813    and    a   captain   in    1824. 
He   died   at  Edinburgh   on   May  8,   1837   at  the   age   of  fifty-two    (L. 
Homfray    Irving's    Officers    of   the   British    Forces    in    Canada,    228). 
When  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie  was  fought,  he  was  almost  precisely  the 
same  age  as  Perry. 


24  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

troit,  was  his  largest  vessel.  She  was  ship-rigged, 
and  of  four  hundred  ninety  tons  burden.  When 
Perry  sailed  from  Erie,  she  was  at  Amherstburg 
under  construction.  The  addition  of  this  vessel  to 
the  British  naval  forces,  and  their  urgent  need  of 
supplies,  caused  their  commander  to  reach  the  deci- 
sion to  leave  his  headquarters  and  contest  with 
Perry  the  possession  of  the  lake. 

Barclay  left  Amherstburg  on  September  9,  and 
at  sunrise  on  the  following  day  his  fleet  was  sighted 
in  the  Northwest  by  the  Americans  in  Put-in-Bay, 
who  at  once  sailed  out  to  meet  their  antagonist. 
The  wind,  however,  was  light,  and  it  was  almost 
noon  before  the  two  squadrons8  were  in  range  of 
each  other's  guns.  At  a  quarter  before  twelve 
Barclay  began  the  action  by  firing  a  few  long  guns, 
and  several  minutes  later  Perry  returned  the  fire. 
The  place  of  encounter  was  some  ten  miles  about 
west-northwest  of  Put-in-Bay,  off  West  Sister  Is- 
land. The  battle  lasted  a  little  more  than  three 
hours,  that  is  until  about  three  o'clock,  when  the 

8  The  American  squadron  consisted  of  the  following  vessels:  brigs  - 
Lawrence  (flag-ship),  20  guns,  Commodore  Oliver  Hazard  Perry; 
Niagara,  20,  Master-commandant  Jesse  Duncan  Elliott;  Caledonia,  3, 
Lieutenant  Daniel  Turner;  schooners  -  Ariel,  4,  Lieutenant  John 
Packet;  Scorpion,  2,  Sailing-master  Stephen  Champlin;  Somers,  2, 
Sailing-master  Thomas  C.  Almy;  Trippe,  i,  Lieutenant  Thomas  Holdup 
Stevens;  Tigress,  i,  Lieutenant  A.  H.  M.  Conckling;  and  Porcupine, 
i,  Sailing-master  George  Senat.  The  British  squadron  consisted  of 
the  following  vessels:  ships -Detroit  (flag-ship),  19  guns,  Commander 
Robert  Heriot  Barclay;  Queen  Charlotte,  17,  Commander  Robert  A. 
Finnis;  schooners  -  Lady  Prevost,  13,  Lieutenant  Edward  W.  Buchan; 
Chippewa  (or  Chippeway),  i,  Master's  Mate  J.  Campbell;  brig 
Hunter,  10,  Lieutenant  George  Bignell;  and  sloop  Little  Belt,  3,  Lieu- 
tenant Robert  Irvine. 


LAKE 
CLAIR 


lleys  I. 


L.L.  POATE8  CO.,  N.Y. 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

SEPTEMBER  10,  1813 

Showing  the  position  of  the  two  fleets 
at  the  beginning  of  the  action 

American  Fleet  mmm^ 
British  Fleet         —-  — 

SCALE    OF  STATUTE    MILES 

5  To  zb! 


INTRODUCTION  27 

British  surrendered.  A  dramatic  event,  which 
divides  the  battle  into  two  well-defined  parts,  was 
Perry's  transferring  of  his  flag  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Niagara,  about  half  past  two  in  the  after- 
noon. Up  to  this  time  the  Niagara  had  rendered 
her  consorts  comparatively  little  assistance.  The 
reasons  why  she  was  not  brought  into  closer  action 
have  long  been  a  subject  of  controversy.9  For  the 
details  of  the  battle,  the  account  of  Colonel  Theo- 
dore Roosevelt,  an  authority  on  the  naval  history  of 
the  War  of  1812,  may  be  quoted: 

Perry  had  nine  vessels,  the  brigs  Lawrence,  Niagara, 
and  Caledonia,  the  schooners  Ariel,  Scorpion,  Somers,  Por- 
cupine, and  Tigress,  and  the  sloop  Trippe.  Their  total 
tonnage  was  1671,  and  their  total  crews  amounted  to 
532  men;  but  sickness  had  been  so  prevalent  that  only 
about  416  were  fit  for  duty.  In  his  vessels  fifty-four  guns 
were  mounted,  fourteen  of  which  were  on  pivots.  In 
the  action  his  broadside  weight  of  metal  was  896  pounds ; 
288  of  which  were  thrown  from  long  guns.  The  Lawr- 
ence and  Niagara  were  large  men-of-war  brigs,  armed  in 
the  usual  manner  with  eighteen  32-pr.  carronades,  and 
two  long  I2's  apiece.  The  smaller  vessels,  in  addition  to 
two  or  three  light  carronades,  carried  long  32*5,  24's,  and 
I2's.  Barclay's  squadron  consisted  of  six  vessels,  the  ships 
Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte,  the  brig  Hunter,  the 

9  For  an  account  of  this  controversy  see  T.  R.  Lounsbury's  James 
Fcnimore  Cooper  (American  Men  of  Letters  series),  208-230;  Justin 
Winsor's  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America^  vol.  vii,  432-433; 
and  Nina  Moore  and  Francis  Tiffany's  Harm  Jan  Huidekoper,  188- 
189.  See  also  the  "Bibliography"  at  the  end  of  this  volume.  Rear- 
admiral  Alfred  Thayer  Mahan  (Sea  Power  in  its  Relation  to  the 
War  of  1812,  vol.  ii,  76-99)  replies  to  the  arguments  of  Cooper,  who 
was  Elliott's  ablest  defender.  Mahan  gives  a  verdict  in  favor  of 
Perry,  which  agrees,  it  would  seem,  with  the  expert  naval  opinion 
of  the  present  time. 


28  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

schooners  Lady  Prevost,  and  Chippeway,  and  the  sloop 
Little  Belt.  The  aggregate  tonnage  was  1460;  the  aggre- 
gate of  the  crews  summed  up  to  about  440  men.  The 
total  number  of  guns  was  sixty-three,  five  being  on  pivots. 
The  total  broadside  weight  was  459  pounds,  of  which  195 
were  from  long  guns;  for  many  of  Barclay's  guns  were 
of  very  small  calibre,  including  long  2's,  4'$,  and  6's,  and 
i2-pr.  carronades. 

The  difference  in  number  of  men  between  the  two 
squadrons  was  not  very  material.  Both  had  scratch  crews, 
made  up  of  regular  seamen,  of  lake  seamen,  of  British  reg- 
ulars, and  a  few  Indians  in  Barclay's  squadron,  and  Amer- 
ican militia  and  a  few  negroes  in  Perry's.  In  tonnage 
Perry  was  superior  by  just  about  what  would  be  indicated 
by  the  possession  of  three  extra  schooners.  The  decisive 
difference  was  in  the  armament.  In  weight  of  broadside 
the  superiority  of  the  Americans  in  long-gun  metal  was 
nearly  as  three  to  two,  and  in  carronade  metal  it  was 
greater  than  two  to  one.  The  ship  Detroit  mounted  chief- 
ly long  guns,  and  was  on  the  whole  probably  rather  supe- 
rior to  either  of  Perry's  big  brigs.  The  Queen  Charlotte 
was  greatly  inferior  to  either.  The  small  vessels  lacked 
the  long  guns  which  made  the  small  American  vessels  for- 
midable. In  smooth  water  and  at  a  distance  the  long  guns 
of  Perry's  smaller  vessels  gave  his  squadron  a  very  marked 
advantage ;  in  a  brisk  breeze  his  two  big  brigs  should  have 
been  almost  a  match  for  the  entire  British  squadron. 

When,  at  daylight  on  September  loth,  Perry  discov- 
ered Barclay's  squadron  he  was  at  anchor  at  Put-In-Bay. 
As  soon  as  the  ships  were  made  out,  Perry  got  under  way 
and  bore  down  toward  them,  having  the  weather  gage. 
Barclay  lay  to  in  close  column,  the  Chippeway  ahead,  fol- 
lowed by  the  Detroit,  the  Hunter,  the  Queen  Charlotte, 
the  Lady  Prevost,  and  the  Little  Belt.  Perry  went  down 
with  the  wind  off  his  port  beam,  and  made  the  attack  in 
column  ahead  obliquely.  The  Ariel  and  Scorpion  led  the 


INTRODUCTION  29 

line  a  little  ahead,  and  on  the  weather  bow,  of  Perry's 
ship  the  Lawrence.  Next  came  the  Caledonia,  and  after 
her  the  Lawrence's  twin  sister,  the  Niagara,  under  Cap- 
tain Jesse  D.  Elliott,  whom  Perry  had  superseded,  and 
who  showed  by  his  actions  that  he  felt  no  particular  zeal 
in  helping  Perry  to  gain  glory.  The  Niagara  was  followed 
by  the  Somers,  the  Porcupine,  the  Tigress,  and  the  Trippe 
in  that  order. 

The  winds  were  light  and  baffling,  and,  as  the  American 
ships  came  down,  they  formed  a  straggling  and  irregular 
line  which  approached  at  an  angle  of  about  fifteen  degrees 
to  the  line  of  Barclay's  squadron,  which  was  in  much  bet- 
ter and  more  compact  order.  At  a  quarter  to  twelve  the 
Detroit  opened  the  action  with  her  long  24/8.  Her  first 
shot  fell  short ;  her  second  crashed  through  the  Lawrence ; 
whereupon  the  Scorpion  replied  with  her  long  32.  Ten 
minutes  after  the  Detroit  had  first  fired,  the  Lawrence, 
which  had  shifted  her  port  bow-chaser  into  the  place  of 
one  of  the  carronades  on  her  starboard  side,  opened  with 
both  her  long  I2's.  At  noon  she  tried  her  carronades, 
but  the  shot  fell  short.  Shortly  afterwards  the  action  be- 
came general  on  both  sides,  though  the  rearmost  Ameri- 
can vessels  were  still  so  far  away  that  they  were  them- 
selves not  exposed  to  danger  at  all,  and  only  the  longest 
guns  occasionally  reached.  The  Lawrence  was  steadily 
nearing  Barclay's  line,  Perry  making  every  effort  to  close ; 
but  it  was  half  an  hour  after  the  Detroit  had  opened  be- 
fore the  Lawrence  got  to  the  close  quarters  necessary  for 
the  effective  use  of  her  carronades.  Throughout  this  half 
hour  Barclay's  leading  ships  had  concentrated  their  fire  on 
Perry's  vessel,  and  so  the  Lawrence  had  suffered  a  good 
deal ;  though  the  schooners  Scorpion  and  Ariel  had  been 
pounding  away  with  their  long  guns  to  help  her. 

For  some  time,  therefore,  the  action  at  the  head  of  the 
line  was  in  favour  of  the  British.  The  sides  of  the  Detroit 
were  dotted  with  marks  of  shot  that  did  not  penetrate, 


30  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

partly  because  of  the  long  range,  partly  because  the  Amer- 
icans in  this  action  seemed  to  show  a  tendency  to  over- 
load their  carronades.  There  was  a  carronade  in  the 
Scorpion  which  upset  down  the  hatchway  as  soon  as  it 
got  hot ;  and  one  of  the  long  guns  of  the  Ariel  burst.  On 
the  other  side,  the  Detroit  had  her  own  difficulties.  There 
were  no  locks  for  her  guns,  thanks  to  the  hurry  with 
which  she  had  been  prepared,  and  they  had  to  be  dis- 
charged by  flashing  pistols  at  the  touch-holes.  Neverthe- 
less, Barclay  fought  her  to  perfection,  and  the  trained 
artillerists  among  his  seamen  and  soldiers  aimed  the  guns 
so  well  that  Perry  had  his  hands  full.  The  Caledonia 
came  down  beside  the  Lawrence,  helping  to  divert  the 
attention  of  the  Hunter  and  the  Queen  Charlotte  from 
her.  But  Elliott  handled  the  Niagara  poorly.  He  did 
not  follow  Perry  to  close  quarters,  but  engaged  the 
Queen  Charlotte  at  a  distance  which  rendered  the  car- 
ronades of  both  vessels  useless.  In  fact,  the  only  effective 
fighting  at  the  rear  of  the  lines  was  that  done  by  the  four 
American  gun-vessels  astern  of  the  Niagara.  Each  of 
these  had  a  long  32  or  24,  of  which,  on  such  smooth  seas, 
she  could  make  good  use  against  the  Lady  Prevost, 
Queen  Charlotte,  and  Hunter;  the  latter  having  an  ab- 
surd armament  of  little  guns  which  threw  a  broadside  of 
thirty  pounds  all  told.  Both  Commander  Finnis,  of  the 
Queen  Charlotte,  and  his  first  lieutenant,  Thomas  Stokoe, 
were  killed  early  in  the  action.  Her  next  in  command, 
the  Canadian  Lieutenant  Irvine,  finding  that  he  could 
make  no  effective  answer  to  the  long  guns  of  the  schoon- 
ers, drew  forward  and  joined  in  the  attack  on  the  Lawr- 
ence at  close  quarters.  The  Niagara  was  left  practically 
without  any  antagonist,  and,  at  the  end  of  the  line,  the 
fight  became  one  at  long  range  between  the  Somers,  Ti- 
gress, Porcupine,  and  Trippe  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
Lady  Prevost,  and  Little  Belt  on  the  other.  The  Lady 
Prevost 's  armament  consisted  chiefly  of  12-pr.  carronades. 


INTRODUCTION  31 

She  made  a  noble  fight,  but  such  an  armament  at  long 
range  in  smooth  water  was  utterly  useless  against  the 
heavy  guns  of  the  schooners.  Her  commander,  Lieuten- 
ant Buchan,  and  her  first  lieutenant,  Francis  Rolette, 
were  both  seriously  wounded,  and  she  was  greatly  cut  up 
and  began  to  fall  to  leeward. 

The  fight  at  the  head  of  the  line  was  waged  with 
bloody  obstinacy  between  the  Scorpion,  Ariel,  Lawrence, 
and  Chesapeake  [Caledonia?]  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
Caledonia  [Chippeway?],  Detroit,  Queen  Charlotte,  and 
Chippeway  [Hunter?]  on  the  other.  Instead  of  pairing 
in  couples,  the  ships  on  each  side  seemed  to  choose  the 
largest  opponents  as  special  targets.  The  Americans  con- 
centrated their  fire  on  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  Detroit; 
while  the  British  devoted  their  attention  mainly  to  the 
Lawrence,  which  had  already  suffered  severely  while 
working  down  to  get  within  range  of  her  carronades. 
The  Queen  Charlotte  was  soon  almost  disabled.  The 
Detroit  was  also  pounded  practically  to  a  standstill,  suf- 
fering especially  from  the  raking  fire  of  the  gunboats. 
Barclay  was  fighting  her  himself  with  the  utmost  gal- 
lantry; but  he  was  so  badly  wounded  that  he  was  at  last 
obliged  to  quit  the  deck.  His  first  lieutenant,  John  Gar- 
land, was  also  wounded  mortally;  but  Lieutenant  George 
Inglis,  to  whom  the  command  was  turned  over ;  continued 
the  fight  as  gamely  as  ever. 

Meanwhile  the  Lawrence  was  knocked  to  pieces  by 
the  combined  fires  of  her  adversaries.  Of  the  one  hundred 
and  three  men  who  had  been  fit  for  duty  when  she  began 
the  action,  eighty-three  were  killed  or  wounded.  As  the 
vessel  was  so  shallow,  the  ward-room,  which  was  used  as 
the  cockpit  into  which  the  wounded  were  taken,  was 
mainly  above  water,  and  the  shots  came  through  it  con- 
tinually. Many  of  the  wounded  were  killed  or  maimed 
while  under  the  hands  of  the  surgeons.  The  first  lieu- 
tenant, Yarnall,  was  hit  three  times,  but  refused  to  leave 


32 BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

the  deck,  and  fought  the  ship  to  the  last.  The  only  other 
lieutenant  on  board,  Brooks,  of  the  marines,  was  mor- 
tally wounded.  Every  brace  and  bowline  was  shot 
away,  and  the  hull  was  so  riddled  that  it  looked  like  a 
sieve.  One  by  one  the  guns  on  the  engaged  side  were 
dismounted,  while  the  men  were  shot  down  until  they 
could  not  man  even  the  guns  that  were  left.  However, 
the  slaughter  of  four-fifths  of  his  crew  before  his  eyes  did 
not  daunt  Perry  in  the  least.  When  there  were  no  men 
left  to  serve  the  last  three  or  four  guns,  he  called  down 
through  the  skylight  for  one  of  the  surgeon's  assistants. 
The  call  was  repeated  and  obeyed,  until  all  those  officers 
had  been  used  up.  Then  he  shouted  down,  "Can  any  of 
the  wounded  pull  a  rope  ?"  and  three  or  four  of  them  hob- 
bled up  on  deck  to  help  him  lay  the  last  guns.  Finally, 
Perry  himself  was  left  with  only  the  purser  and  chap- 
lain, and  by  their  aid  he  fired  a  final  shot,  and  immediately 
afterwards,  the  gun  which  he  had  used,  the  only  one  left, 
was  disabled. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Turner  in  the  Caledonia,  having  put 
his  helm  up,  had  passed  the  Lawrence  and  run  into  the 
British  line,  where  he  engaged  at  half  pistol-shot  distance, 
though  his  little  brig  was  absolutely  without  quarters. 

Perry's  vessel  lay  an  unmanageable  hulk  on  the  water, 
while  the  shot  ripped  through  her  sides,  and  there  was  not. 
a  gun  that  could  be  fired  in  return ;  but  Perry  had  not  the 
slightest  intention  of  giving  up  the  fight.  He  had  gone 
into  the  battle  flying  on  his  flag  Lawrence's  dying  words, 
"Don't  give  up  the  ship" ;  and  he  intended  to  live  up  to  the 
text.  The  Niagara  was  at  that  time  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to 
windward  of  the  Lawrence  on  her  port-beam.  She  was 
steering  for  the  head  of  Barclay's  line,  and  was  almost  un- 
injured, having  taken  very  little  part  in  the  combat,  and 
never  having  been  within  a  distance  that  rendered  her 
carronades  of  any  use.  Perry  instantly  decided  to  shift 
his  broad  pennant  to  her.  Leaping  into  a  boat  with  his 


INTRODUCTION  33 

brother  and  four  seamen,  he  rowed  to  the  fresh  brig, 
having  literally  been  hammered  out  of  the  Lawrence  by 
the  pounding  which  he  had  received  for  two  hours  and  a 
half.  As  soon  as  he  reached  the  Niagara,  he  sent  Elliott 
astern  to  hurry  up  the  three  rearmost  schooners;  for  the 
sloop  Trippe,  on  her  own  account,  had  steered  straight  for 
the  British  line,  and  was  very  near  the  Caledonia.  The 
Lawrence,  having  but  fourteen  sound  men  left,  struck  her 
colours ;  but  the  action  began  again  before  possession  could 
be  taken  of  her,  and  she  drifted  astern  out  of  the  fight. 
At  a  quarter  to  three  the  schooners  had  closed,  and  Perry 
bore  up  to  break  Barclay's  line,  the  powerful  brig  to 
which  he  had  shifted  his  broad  pennant  being  practically 
unharmed,  as  indeed  were  his  rearmost  gun-vessels. 

The  British  ships  had  fought  until  they  could  fight  no 
longer.  The  two  smallest,  the  Chippeway  and  Little  Belt, 
were  not  much  damaged ;  but  the  other  four  were  too  dis- 
abled either  to  fight  or  manosuvre  effectively  so  as  to 
oppose  fresh  antagonists.  However  they  answered  as 
best  they  could,  with  great  guns  and  musketry,  as  the  Ni- 
agara stood  down  and  broke  the  British  line,  firing  her 
port  battery  into  the  Chippeway,  Little  Belt,  and  Lady 
Prevost,  and  her  starboard  battery  into  the  Detroit, 
Queen  Charlotte,  and  Hunter,  raking  on  both  sides.  The 
Detroit  and  Charlotte  had  been  so  cut  up  aloft,  almost 
every  brace  and  stay  being  shot  away,  that  they  could  not 
tack,  and  tried  to  wear ;  but  they  fell  foul  of  one  another, 
and  the  Niagara  luffed  athwart  their  bows,  firing  uninter- 
ruptedly, while,  under  their  sterns,  the  Caledonia  and  the 
schooners  stationed  themselves  so  close  that  some  of  their 
grape-shot,  passing  over  the  British  vessels,  rattled  through 
Perry's  spars.  The  Lady  Prevost  had  sagged  to  leeward, 
an  unmanageable  wreck.  Barclay  had  done  everything  in 
the  power  of  man  to  do.  The  first  and  second  in  com- 
mand of  every  one  of  his  six  vessels  had  been  either  killed 
or  wounded;  and  at  three  o'clock  his  flag  was  struck. 


34  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

The  Chippeway  and  Little  Belt  tried  to  escape,  but  were 
overtaken  and  brought  to  by  the  Trippe  and  the  Scorpion, 
the  commander  of  the  latter,  Mr.  Stephen  Champlin, 
firing  the  last  shot  of  the  battle,  as  he  had  likewise  fired 
the  first  on  the  American  side. 

None  of  the  American  ships  had  suffered  severely, 
excepting  the  Lawrence,  to  whose  share  over  two-thirds 
of  the  total  loss  had  fallen.  In  breaking  the  line,  how- 
ever, the  Niagara  had  suffered  somewhat ;  and  the  Cale- 
donia, Ariel,  Scorpion,  and  Trippe  had  come  in  for  some 
of  the  pounding.  All  told,  twenty-seven  men  had  been 
killed  and  ninety-six  wounded,  three  mortally.  The  Brit- 
ish loss  amounted  to  forty-one  killed  and  ninety-four 
wounded,  chiefly  in  the  Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte.10 

The  effects  of  this  decisive  victory  were  many 
and  far-reaching.  The  Americans  were  left  in 
complete  control  of  Lake  Erie,  which  they  main- 
tained until  the  end  of  the  war.  Harrison  was  able 
at  once  to  take  the  offensive.  Before  the  end  of 
September  Perry  had  transported  the  American 
army  across  the  lake,  and  the  British  had  evacuated 
Maiden,  Amherstburg,  and  Detroit,  had  aban- 
doned Michigan  and  the  Northwest  (with  the  ex- 
ception of  Michilimackinac),  and  were  fleeing 
eastward  through  Upper  Canada.  Harrison  pur- 
sued the  enemy,  overtook  him,  and  on  October  5 
defeated  him  and  captured  his  army  in  the  Battle 
of  the  Thames.11  All  the  western  part  of  Upper 
Canada  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  The 

10  From   Col.   Theodore   Roosevelt's   chapter    "The   War   with   the 
United  States,  1812-15,"  in  William  Laird  Clowes's   The  Royal  Navy, 
vol.   vi,   120-126. 

11  Perry  took  part  in  the  battle  as  an  aide-de-camp  of  Harrison. 


INTRODUCTION  35 

results  of  Perry's  victory  were  not  alone  of  a  mili- 
tary character.  They  were  felt  at  Ghent  in  1814 
when  the  treaty  of  peace  was  being  negotiated. 
They  greatly  strengthened  the  American  negoti- 
ators and  correspondingly  weakened  the  British, 
who  attempted  but  failed  to  limit  the  sovereignty 
of  the  United  States  over  a  part  of  the  Northwest. 
Perry12  remained  in  command  of  the  squadron 
until  October  25,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Elliott. 
On  his  return  home  he  was  everywhere  received 
with  great  honor.  Already  the  president  had  pro- 
moted him  to  a  captaincy,13  the  highest  rank  in  the 
navy  known  to  the  law.14  Several  cities  voted  him 
swords,  Boston  gave  him  a  service  of  plate,  and 

12  Perry  lived  less  than  six  years  after  his  great  victory.     On  July 
17,  1814,  he  was  ordered  to  proceed  from  Newport  to  Baltimore  and 
take  charge  of  the  frigate  Java,  then  under  construction  at  the  latter 
city.     Six  weeks  later  he  was  employed  in  harassing  a  British  squadron, 
which  was  retreating  down  the  Potomac,  by  means  of  some  batteries 
which  he  erected  at  Indian  Head,  Maryland.     In  1816-1817,  he  was  in 
command  of  the  frigate  Java,  in  the  Mediterranean,  where  we  were 
having  trouble  with  the  Algerines.     It  was  during  this  tour  of  duty 
that   differences   arose   between   him   and   his  captain   of  marines  that 
culminated   in   a  duel.     In   1818,  his  controversy  with   Captain  Elliott 
threatened  to  lead  to  a  duel  with  that  officer.     In  the  summer  of  1819, 
Perry  was  sent  on  an  important  mission  to  South  America,  with  sev- 
eral  war-ships.     Soon   after   reaching  his  destination,  he  fell   ill  with 
the  yellow  fever,  and  on  August  23  he  died  at  Port  of  Spain,  Island 
of    Trinidad.     The    governor    of    the    island,    Sir    Ralph    Woodford, 
showed  him  every  possible  honor  and  accorded  him  a  military  funeral 
(Niles'  Register,  vol.  xvii,  71-72).     In  1826  his  body  was  brought  to 
his  native  land  by  the  United  States  sloop-of-war  Lexington,  and  was 
re-interred  with  much  ceremony  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island. 

13  See  Document  16. 

14  The   rank  of  commodore  was  not  specifically  created  by  statute 
until  1862. 


36  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Newport  presented  him  with  a  similar  token  of 
regard.15  He  was  dined  and  toasted  at  Baltimore, 
Washington,  and  Boston,  and  the  legislatures  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Georgia  thanked  him  for  his 
great  victory.  On  April  18,  1814,  Congress  author- 
ized the  president  to  purchase  the  vessels  captured 
by  Perry  for  two  hundred  fifty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  divide  that  sum  among  the  captors  as 
prize  money;  and  it  gave  Perry  an  additional  sum 
of  five  thousand  dollars.16  On  January  6,  it  passed 
the  following  resolution : 

That  the  thanks  of  Congress  be,  and  the  same  are  here- 
by presented  to  Captain  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  and  through 
him  to  the  officers,  seamen,  marines,  and  infantry  serving 
as  such,  attached  to  the  squadron  under  his  command, 
for  the  decisive  and  glorious  victory  gained  on  Lake  Erie, 
on  the  tenth  of  September,  in  the  year  one  thousand,  eight 
hundred  and  thirteen,  over  a  British  squadron  of  superior 
force. 

15  The  inhabitants  of  Quebec  presented  Barclay  with  a  superb  piece 
of   plate,   on   which   the    following   inscription   was   engraved:     "Pre- 
sented to  Captain  Robert  Heriot  Barclay,  of  his  Majesty's  royal  navy, 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Quebec,  in  testimony  of  the  sense  they  justly  en- 
tertain of  the  exalted  courage  and  heroic  valour  displayed  by  him,  and 
by  the  officers,  seamen,  soldiers,  and  marines  of  the  flotilla  under  his 
command,  in  an  action  with  a  greatly  superior  fleet  of  the  enemy  upon 
Lake  Erie,  on  the  loth  day  of  September,  1813;  when  the  presence  of 
a  few  additional  seamen  was  only  wanting  to  have  effected  the  total 
discomfiture    of    the    hostile    squadron.     Of    Captain    Barclay    it    may 
most  truly  be  said,  that   although  he  could  not  command  victory,   he 
did   more  -  he   nobly  deserved   it."     Barclay   received   also   a   piece   of 
plate  from  the  Canada  merchants  residing  in  London   (Naval  Chroni- 
cle, vol.  xxxv,  378-379).     At  a  public  dinner  in  his  honor,   given   at 
Terrebonne,   Canada,   in   1814,   Barclay  gave  the   following  volunteer 
toast:     "Commodore  Perry,   the   gallant   and   generous  enemy"    (Nites' 
Register,  vol.  vi,  175). 

16  United  States  Statutes  at  Large,  vol.  iii,  130. 


INTRODUCTION  3? 

That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  requested  to 
cause  gold  medals  to  be  struck,  emblematical  of  the  action 
between  the  two  squadrons,  and  to  present  them  to  Cap- 
tain Perry  and  Captain  Jesse  D.  Elliott,  in  such  manner 
as  will  be  most  honorable  to  them ;  and  that  the  President 
be  further  requested  to  present  a  silver  medal  with  suit- 
able emblems  and  devices  to  each  of  the  commissioned  offi- 
cers, either  of  the  navy  or  army,  serving  on  board,  and  a 
sword  to  each  of  the  midshipmen  and  sailing-masters  who 
so  nobly  distinguished  themselves  on  that  memorable  day.17 


17  United  States  Statutes  at  Large,  vol.  iii,  141. 


DOCUMENTS 


I 

DISPATCH  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 
MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON 

From  a  copy  (probably  of  the  original)  former- 
ly in  the  possession  of  Mr.  William  Keeney  Bixby, 
of  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  It  is  not  known  whether 
the  original  dispatch  is  still  in  existence.  Mr.  Ben- 
son John  Lossing  in  his  Pictorial  Field-Book  of  the 
War  of  1812,  page  530,  publishes  a  "Facsimile  of 
Perry's  Dispatch,"  without  the  date  and  address. 
Lossing  says  that  Perry's  two  dispatches  of  Septem- 
ber 10  were  carried  to  their  destination  by  Lieuten- 
ant Dulaney  Forrest,  who  took  with  him  to  Wash- 
ington the  captured  British  flags.  Forrest  carried 
the  flags  but  not  the  dispatches.  See  Document  10. 


i.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM 

HENRY  HARRISON 

U.S.  BRIG  NIAGARA,  off  the  Western  Sisters,18  Head 
of  Lake  Erie  Sept.  10,  1813-4  p.m. 

DEAR  GENL :  We  have  met  the  enemy,  and  they 
are  ours -two  ships,  two  brigs,  one  schooner  and 
one  sloop.19 

Yours  with  great  respect  and  esteem 

O.  H.  PERRY 


18  An  island  near  the  western  end  of  Lake  Erie,  about  thirty  miles 
northwest  of  Sandusky,  Ohio,  and  ten  miles  southwest  of  Middle  Sister 
and  East  Sister  Islands. 

19  The   captured   fleet  consisted    of   two   ships,   two   schooners,   one 
brig  and  one  sloop.     Perry  gives  the  list  correctly  in  his  official  letter 
(see  Document  7). 

[43] 


II 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 

SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  the  original  in  the  United  States  Navy 
Department  Archives,  Washington,  Captains'  Let- 
ters, 1813,  vol.  vi,  no.  33.  This  has  been  published 
many  times.  It  appeared  in  Niles'  Register  (Balti- 
more), vol.  v,  60,  and  in  the  National  Intelligencer 
(Washington),  September  22,  1813.  Lossing's 
statement  (Pictorial  Field-Book  of  the  War  of  1812, 
531)  that  it  was  carried  to  Washington,  together 
with  the  captured  flags,  by  Lieutenant  Dulaney  For- 
rest, is  erroneous.  The  dispatch  reached  Washing- 
ton on  September  21  (see  Document  13),  and  For- 
rest with  the  flags  on  October  10  (see  Document  10 
and  the  National  Intelligencer,  October  15,  1813). 

[Identically  the  same  letter,  even  to  the  hour,  4 
p.  m.,  was  written  by  Commodore  Perry  to  Commo- 
dore Isaac  Chauncey,  commanding  United  States 
Naval  forces  on  the  lakes,  the  original  of  which  is 
preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  New  York  Historical 
Society,  having  been  presented  to  it  May  2,  1854,  by 
the  reverend  Peter  S.  Chauncey,  son  of  Commodore 
Chauncey.] 

William  Jones  was  secretary  of  the  navy  from 
January  12,  1813,  to  December  I,  1814.  After  serv- 
ing in  the  Revolutionary  marine,  he  entered  the  mer- 
chant service.  In  1801-1803  he  was  a  member  of 
Congress,  from  Pennsylvania.  After  his  term  as  sec- 
retary of  the  navy  he  was  president  of  the  United 
States  Bank  and  collector  of  the  port  of  Philadelphia. 


REDUCED  FACSIMILE  OF  THE  DISPATCH  OF  COMMODORE  PERRY  TO 
SECRETARY  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  10,  1813 

From  the  original  manuscript  in  the  United  States  Navy  Department 
Archives,  Washington,  D.C. 


2.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 

WILLIAM  JONES 

U.S.  BRIG  NIAGARA  off  the  Western  Sister,  Head 
of  Lake  Erie  Sepr  10,  1813-4  p.m. 

SIR:  I[t]  has  pleased  the  Almighty  to  give  to 
the  arms  of  the  United  States  a  signal  victory  over 
their  enemies  on  this  lake -the  British  Squadron 
consisting  of  two  ships,  two  brigs,  one  schooner  and 
one  sloop  have  this  moment  surrendered  to  the 
force  under  my  command,  after  a  sharp  conflict. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir 

very  respectfully  your  obdt.  servt. 

O.  H.  PERRY 


[49] 


Ill 

LETTER  OF  LIEUTENANT  GEORGE  INGLIS 

TO 

COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY 

From  the  original  in  the  Public  Record  Office, 
London.  This  document  is  printed  in  Niles'  Reg- 
ister (Baltimore),  volume  vi,  182,  and  in  the  Naval 
Chronicle  (London),  volume  xxxi,  252. 


3.     LIEUTENANT     GEORGE     INGLIS 20     TO 
COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY 

His  MAJESTY'S  LATE  SHIP  DETROIT 
loth  Septr.,  1813 

SIR,  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  you  an 
account  of  the  termination  of  the  late  unfortunate 
action  with  the  enemy's  squadron. 

On  coming  on  the  quarter-deck,  after  your  being 
wounded,  the  enemy's  second  brig,21  at  that  time  on 
our  weather  beam,  shortly  afterwards  took  a  posi- 
tion on  our  weather  bow,  to  rake  us,  to  prevent 
which  in  attempting  to  wear  to  get  our  starboard 
broadside  to  bear  upon  her,  a  number  of  the  guns 
of  the  larboard  broadside  being  at  this  time  dis- 
abled, fell  on  board  the  Queen  Charlotte,  at  this 
time  running  up  to  leeward  of  us,  in  this  situation 
the  two  ships  remained  for  some  time,  as  soon  as 
we  got  clear  of  her,  I  ordered  the  Queen  Charlotte 
to  shoot  ahead  of  us  if  possible,  and  attempted  to 
back  our  fore  topsail  to  get  astern,  but  the  ship  lay- 
ing completely  unmanageable,  every  brace  cut 

20Inglis  was  second  in  rank  on  board  the  Detroit.  When  Barclay, 
on  being  wounded,  went  below,  about  2:30  p.m.,  Inglis  succeeded  to 
the  command.  He  gives  an  account  of  the  battle  from  this  time  until 
its  close. 

21  The  Niagara. 

[53] 


54  INGLIS  TO  BARCLAY 

away,  the  mizen  topmast  and  gaff  down,  all  the 
other  masts  badly  wounded,  not  a  stay  left  forward, 
hull  shattered  very  much,  a  number  of  the  guns 
disabled,  and  the  enemy's  squadron  raking  both 
ships,  ahead  and  astern,  none  of  our  own  in  a  situa- 
tion to  support  us,  I  was  under  the  painful  necessity 
of  answering  the  enemy  to  say  we  had  struck,  the 
Queen  Charlotte  having  previously  done  so. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc.  GEORGE  INGLIS. 


IV 

EXTRACT  FROM  THE  DIARY 

OF 
DR.  USHER  PARSONS 

This  document  is  reprinted  from  the  Rhode 
Island  Historical  Society  Publications,  new  series, 
volume  vii,  245-246.  It  is  printed  in  part  in  Tris- 
tam  Burges's  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  84-85.  Its 
phraseology  is  that  of  a  ship's  log  and  of  a  seaman 
and  not  that  of  a  diary  and  of  a  surgeon.  Burges 
says  that  it  is  an  extract  from  the  log  of  the  Lawr- 
ence, that  the  entry  in  the  log  was  made  by  Sailing- 
master  W.  V.  Taylor  within  twenty-four  hours  after 
the  action,  and  that  the  entry  was  copied  in  the  diary 
on  the  day  after  the  battle.  None  of  the  logs  of 
Perry's  ships  are  in  the  Navy  Department  at  Wash- 
ington. Lossing  in  compiling  his  account  of  the 
battle  used  the  log  of  the  Lawrence  (Pictorial  Field- 
Book  of  the  War  of  1812,  533). 


4.     EXTRACT   FROM   THE   DIARY   OF   DR. 
USHER  PARSONS 

Friday,  September  loth,  Put-in  Bay 

At  5  o'clock  a.m.  discovered  the  enemy's  squad- 
ron bearing  N.W.  Wind  S.W.  At  7  could  see  all 
of  the  vessels  viz.  2  ships,  2  brigs,  i  schooner,  and  i 
sloop.  At  10  called  all  hands  to  quarters.  At  % 
before  Meridn.  the  enemy  commenced  the  action 
at  i  mile  distance.  In  J/£  an  hour  we  came  within 
musket  shot  of  the  enemy's  new  ship  Detroit.  At 
this  time  they  opened  a  most  destructive  fire  on  the 
Lawrence  from  their  whole  squadron.  At  J^  past 
one  so  entirely  disabled  we  could  work  the  brig  no 
longer.  At  2  p.m.  most  of  the  guns  were  dis- 
mounted breachings  gone  or  carriages  knocked  to 
pieces.  At  ^2  past  2  when  not  another  gun  could 
be  worked  or  fired  from  the  Lawrence,  Capt.  Perry 
hauled  down  the  fighting  flag22  which  bore  this 
motto  Dont  give  up  the  ship  and  repaired  on  board 
the  Niagara,  and  there  -raised  it  again.  In  ten  min- 
utes after  we  struck  to  the  enemy.  Cap't  Perry 
made  all  sail  with  the  Niagara  which  hitherto  had 

22  This  flag  was  made  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania  (Lossing,  Pictorial 
Field-Book  of  the  War  of  1812,  533).  It  is  now  at  the  United  States 
Naval  Academy,  Annapolis,  Md. 

[57] 


58  DIARY  OF  DR.  USHER  PARSONS 

kept  out  of  the  action  and  in  15  minutes  passed  in 
among  the  B.  squadron,  having  the  Detroit,  Queen 
Charlotte  and  Lady  Prevot  on  the  starboard  side 
and  the  Hunter  on  the  larboard  side  and  silenced 
them  all  and  10  minutes  before  3  they  hauled  down 
their  colours.  Two  small  vessels  attempted  to 
escape  but  being  overhauled  struck  a  few  minutes 
after  three.  Killed  on  board  the  Lawrence,  Lieut. 
John  Brook,23  Midn.  Henry  Laub,  James  W. 
Allen,  Jos.  Kennedy,  John  C.  Kelly,  John  Smith, 
Wm.  Cranson,  Andrew  Michael,  John  Hoffman, 
Charles  Pohig,  Nelson  Peters,  James  Jones,  John 
Rose,  James  Carty,  Thos.  Butler,  Wilson  Mays, 
Christian  Mayo,  Charles  Johnes,  Eatheldras  Sykes, 
and  three  others. 


23  Lieutenant  John  Brooks  of  the  marine  corps.  He  was  a  son  of 
General  John  Brooks,  governor  of  Massachusetts  from  1816  to  1823. 
A  cannon-ball  severed  his  leg  from  the  body  at  the  hip,  and  he  died 
two  hours  later.  A  letter  of  Perry,  dated  September  12,  1813,  to  the 
father  announcing  the  death  of  the  son  will  be  found  in  the  New  Eng- 
land Historical  and  Genealogical  Register,  vol.  xix,  194. 


V 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 
MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON 

From  a  copy  (probably  of  the  original)  formerly 
in  the  possession  of  Mr.  William  Keeney  Bixby,  of 
St.  Louis.  It  has  been  published  in  part  in  Niles' 
Register,  volume  v,  61  (September  25,  1813). 


5.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM 

HENRY  HARRISON 

ii.  Sept.,  1813 

DR.  SlR:  I  am  this  moment  informed  by  Capt 
Horton24  that  you  have  commenced  your  march  - 
I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  requesting  your  officer, 
who  was  bound  to  Fort  Meigs,  to  return  with  my 
despatches  to  you,  and  the  government -and  have 
promised  to  take  the  responsibility  of  his  deviating 
from  his  orders,  on  myself -I  hope  my  anxiety  to 
communicate  to  you,  intelligence  of  so  much  im- 
portance will  be  my  excuse- We  have  a  great  num- 
ber of  prisoners,  which  I  wish  to  land-will  you  be 
so  good,  as  to  order  a  guard  to  receive  them?  and 
inform  me  of  the  place? -Considerable  numbers 
have  been  killed  and  wounded  on  both  sides -from 
the  best  information,  we  have  more  prisoners,  than 
we  have  men  on  board  our  vessels.25 

In  great  haste,  yours  very  respectfully 

O.  H.  PERRY 

24  The  records  of  the  United  States  War  Department  show  that 
Benjamin  Horton   and  Benjamin    Horton,  Jr.,   of  New  York;   James 
Horton,   of   Maryland ;    and   William   Horton,   of  Georgia,   served   as 
captains  in  the  War  of  1812. 

25  According  to  Mr.  Neeser's  statistics  of  the  battle  (Statistical  and 

[61] 


62  PERRY  TO  HARRISON 

Many  of  the  prisoners  are  of  opinion,  that  Genl. 
Proctor28  has  commenced  his  retreat  march -and 
that  the  Indians,  after  committing  great  excesses, 
have  withdrawn. 


Chronological  History  of  the  United  States  Navy,  vol.  ii,  50-51),  the 
men  on  board  the  prizes  numbered  323,  and  on  board  the  American 
squadron  485.  There  is  however  some  variation  in  the  figures  given 
by  different  authorities.  One  hundred  and  twenty-three  of  Perry's  men 
were  unfit  for  duty  (see  Document  7). 

26  Major-general    Henry  Procter,   commander   of  the   British   army 
on  the  Detroit  line. 


WILLIAM  HF.XRY  HARRISON,  1815 


VI 

LETTER  OF  COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY 

TO 
SIR  JAMES  YEO 

From  the  original  in  the  British  Public  Record 
office,  London.  This  letter  has  been  frequently  pub- 
lished, in  whole  or  in  part  (See  N  lies'  Register,  vol- 
ume vi,  181-182;  the  Naval  Chronicle,  volume  xxxi, 
250-253 ;  and  H.  B.  Dawson's  Battles  of  the  United 
States,  volume  ii,  289-290).  Yeo  was  in  command 
of  the  British  naval  forces  on  the  lakes. 


6.  COMMANDER  ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY 
TO  COMMODORE  SIR  JAMES  YEO 

His  MAJESTY'S  LATE  SHIP  DETROIT,  Put-in  Bay, 
Lake  Erie  lath  September,  1813 

SIR:  The  last  letter  I  had  the  honor  of  writing 
to  you,  dated  the  6th  instant,  I  informed  you  that 
unless  certain  intimation  was  received  of  more  sea- 
men being  on  their  way  to  Amhertsburg,  I  should 
be  obliged  to  sail  with  the  squadron  deplorably 
manned  as  it  was,  to  fight  the  enemy  (who  block- 
aded the  port )  to  enable  us  to  get  supplies  of  provi- 
sions and  stores  of  every  description,  so  perfectly 
destitute  of  provisions  was  the  post  that  there  was 
not  a  day's  flour  in  store,  and  the  crews  of  the 
squadron  under  my  command  were  on  half  allow- 
ance of  many  things,  and  when  that  was  done  there 
was  no  more ;  such  were  the  motives  which  induced 
Major-general  Proctor  (whom,  by  your  instruc- 
tions I  was  directed  to  consult,  and  whose  wishes,  I 
was  enjoined  to  execute  as  far  as  relates  to  the  good 
of  the  country)  to  concur  in  the  necessity  of  a  battle 
being  risqued  under  the  many  disadvantages  which 
I  laboured,  and  it  now  remains  for  me,  the  most 
melancholy  task  to  relate  to  you  the  unfortunate 
issue  of  that  battle  as  well  as  the  many  untoward 
circumstances  that  led  to  that  event. 

[67] 


68  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

No  intelligence  of  seamen  having  arrived  I 
sailed,  on  the  9th  instant  fully  expecting  to  meet 
the  enemy  next  morning,  as  they  had  been  seen 
among  the  islands -nor  was  I  mistaken,  soon  after 
day  light  they  were  seen  in  motion  in  Put-in-Bay, 
the  wind  then  at  south  west,  and  light,  giving  us 
the  weather  gage;  I  bore  up  for  them  in  hopes  of 
bringing  them  to  action  among  the  islands,  but  that 
intention  was  soon  frustrated  by  the  wind  suddenly 
shifting  to  the  south  east,  which  brought  the  enemy 
directly  to  windward. 

The  line  was  formed  according  to  a  given  plan, 
so  that  each  ship  might  be  supported  against  the 
superior  force  of  the  two  brigs  opposed  to  them; 
about  ten  the  enemy  had  cleared  the  islands  and 
immediately  bore  up,  under  easy  sail,  in  a  line 
abreast,  each  brig  being  also  supported  by  the  small 
vessels;  at  a  quarter  before  twelve  I  commenced 
the  action  by  firing  a  few  long  guns,  about  a  quarter 
past  the  American  commodore,  also  supported  by 
two  schooners,  one  carrying  four  long  12  pound- 
ers-the  other  a  long  thirty-two,  and  twenty-four 
pounder,  came  to  close  action  with  the  Detroit- 
the  other  brig  of  the  enemy  apparently  destined  to 
engage  the  Queen  Charlotte,  supported  in  like 
manner  by  two  schooners,  kept  so  far  to  windward 
as  to  render  the  Queen  Charlotte's  24  pounder  car- 
ronades  useless,  while  she  was,  with  the  Lady  Pre- 
vost,  exposed  to  the  heavy  and  destructive  fire  of 
the  Caledonia  and  four  other  schooners,  armed 
with  long  and  heavy  guns,  like  those  I  have  already 
described. 


BARCLAY  TO  YEO  69 

Too  soon,  alas,  was  I  deprived  of  the  services  of 
the  noble  and  intrepid  Captain  Finnis,27  who  soon 
after  the  commencement  of  the  action  fell,  and 
with  him  fell  my  greatest  support  Soon  after 
Lieutenant  Stokoe  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  was 
struck  senseless  by  a  splinter  which  deprived  the 
country  of  his  services  at  this  very  critical  period. 
As  I  perceived  the  Detroit  had  enough  to  contend 
with,  without  the  prospect  of  a  fresh  brig;  Provin- 
cial Lieutenant  Irvine28  who  then  had  charge  of 
the  Queen  Charlotte  behaved  with  great  courage, 
but  his  experience  was  much  too  limited,  to  supply 
the  place  of  such  an  officer  as  Captain  Finnis, 
hence  she  proved  of  far  less  assistance  than  I  ex- 
pected. 

The  action  continued  with  great  fury  until  half 
past  two,  when  I  perceived  my  opponent  drop 
astern,  and  a  boat  passing  from  him  to  the  Niagara 
(which  vessel  was  at  this  time  perfectly  fresh),  the 
American  commodore  seeing  that  as  yet  the  day 
was  against  him  (his  vessel  having  struck  soon  after 
he  left  her) ,  and  also  the  very  defenceless  state  of 
the  Detroit,  which  ship  was  now  a  perfect  wreck 
principally  from  the  raking  fire  of  the  gun  boats, 
and  also  that  the  Queen  Charlotte  was  in  such  a 
situation  that  I  could  receive  very  little  assistance 
from  her,  and  the  Lady  Prevost  being  at  this  time 
too  far  to  leeward,  from  her  rudder  being  injured, 

27  For  the  full  names  of  the  officers  killed  and  wounded,  see  Bar- 
clay's list  at  the  end  of  this  document. 

28  Second    Lieutenant   Robert   Irvine,    of   the    Canadian   provincial 
marine. 


70  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

made  a  noble  and,  alas  too  successful  an  effort  to 
regain  it,  for  he  bore  up  and  supported  by  his  small 
vessels,  passed  within  pistol  shot,  and  took  a  raking 
position  on  our  bow,  nor  could  I  prevent  it,  as  the 
unfortunate  situation  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  pre- 
vented us  from  wearing,  in  attempting  it  we  fell  on 
board  her.  My  gallant  first  Lieutenant  Garland 
was  now  mortally  wounded,  and  myself  so  severely 
that  I  was  obliged  to  quit  the  deck. 

Manned  as  the  squadron  was  with  not  more  than 
fifty  British  seamen,  the  rest  a  mixed  crew  of  Cana- 
dians and  soldiers,  and  who  were  totally  unac- 
quainted with  such  service  rendered  the  loss  of 
officers  more  sensibly  felt  and  never  in  any  action 
was  the  loss  more  severe,  every  officer  commanding 
vessels,  and  their  seconds,  was  either  killed,  or 
wounded  so  severely  as  to  be  unable  to  keep  the 
deck. 

Lieutenant  Buchan  in  the  Lady  Prevost  behaved 
most  nobly,  and  did  everything  that  a  brave  and 
experienced  officer  could  do,  in  a  vessel  armed  with 
12  pounder  carronades,  against  vessels  carrying 
long  guns- 1  regret  to  state  that  he  was  very  severe- 
ly wounded.  Lieutenant  Bignal  (of  the  Dover),29 
commanding  the  Hunter  displayed  the  greatest  in- 
trepidity, but  his  guns  being  small  2,  4,  and  6 
pounders,  he  could  be  of  much  less  service  than  he 
wished. 

Every  officer  in  the  Detroit  behaved  in  the  most 
exemplary  manner.  Lieutenant  Inglis,  shewed 
such  calm  intrepidity  that  I  was  fully  convinced 

29  His  Majesty's  troop-ship  Dover.  Bignell  was  detached  from  her 
at  Quebec. 


BARCLAY  TO  YEO  71 

that  on  leaving  the  deck  I  left  the  ship  in  excellent 
hands,  and  for  an  account  of  the  battle  after  that,  I 
refer  you  to  his  letter  which  he  wrote  me,  for  your 
information. 

Mr.  Hoffmeister,  purser  of  the  Detroit,  nobly 
volunteered  his  services  on  deck,  and  behaved  in  a 
manner  that  reflects  the  highest  honor  on  him,  I 
regret  to  add  that,  he  is  very  severely  wounded  in 
the  knee. 

Provincial  Lieutenant  Purvis30  and  the  Military 
Officer  Lieutenant  Garden,31  of  the  Royal  New- 
foundland Regiment  and  O'Keefe32  of  the  4ist 
Regiment,  behaved  in  a  manner  which  excited  my 
warmest  admiration:  the  few  British  seamen,  I 
had,  behaved  with  their  usual  intrepidity,  and  as 
long  as  I  was  on  the  deck  the  troops  behaved  with 
a  calmness  and  courage,  worthy  of  a  more  fortunate 
issue  to  their  exertions. 

The  weather  gage  gave  the  enemy  a  prodigious 
advantage  as  it  enabled  them,  not  only  to  choose 
their  position,  but  their  distance  also,  which  they 
did  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  the  carronades 
of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  Lady  Prevost,  from 
having  much  effect,  while  their  long  guns  did  great 
execution  particularly  against  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte. 

Captain  Parry  has  behaved  in  a  most  humane 
and  attentive  manner,  not  only  to  myself  and  offi- 
cers, but  to  all  the  wounded. 

30  First    Lieutenant    Francis    Purvis    of    the    Canadian    provincial 
marine. 

31  John  Campbell  Garden. 
»2  Arthur  O'Keefe. 


72  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

I  trust  that,  although  unsuccessful,  you  will  ap- 
prove of  the  motives  that  induced  me  to  sail  under 
so  many  disadvantages,  and  that  it  may  be  hereafter 
proved,  that  under  such  circumstances  the  honor  of 
His  Majesty's  flag  has  not  been  tarnished. 

I  enclose  the  list  of  killed  and  wounded.  And 
have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  your  most  obedient 
humble  servant 

R.  H.  BARCLAY,  Commander,  late  Sen.  Officer. 


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VII 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 
SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  American  State  Papers,  Naval  Affairs,  vol- 
ume i,  295-297.  The  original  of  this  letter  is  not 
in  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Archives, 
Washington.  The  letter  has  been  frequently  pub- 
lished (see,  for  instance,  Niles'  Register,  volume  v, 
61-62;  James's  Naval  Occurrences,  appendix,  pages 
xc-xcii;  and  H.  B.  Dawson's  Battles  of  the  United 
States,  volume  ii,  287-288). 


y.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 

WILLIAM  JONES 

U.S.  SCHOONER  ARIEL,34  Put-in- Bay 
September  i3th,  1813 

SIR:  In  my  last35  I  informed  you  that  we  had 
captured  the  enemy's  fleet  on  this  lake.  I  have 
now  the  honor  to  give  you  the  most  important  par- 
ticulars of  the  action. 

On  the  morning  of  the  loth  instant,  at  sunrise, 
they  were  discovered  from  Put-in-Bay,  where  I  lay 
at  anchor  with  the  squadron  under  my  command. 
We  got  under  way,  the  wind  light  at  S.W.,  and 
stood  for  them.  At  ten  a.m.  the  wind  hauled  to  S.E. 
and  brought  us  to  windward;  formed  the  line,  and 
bore  up.  At  fifteen  minutes  before  twelve,  the 
enemy  commenced  firing;  at  five  minutes  before 
twelve,  the  action  commenced  on  our  part.  Find- 
ing their  fire  very  destructive,  owing  to  their  long 
guns,  and  its  being  mostly  directed  at  the  Lawr- 
ence, I  made  sail,  and  directed  the  other  vessels  to 

34  Perry  transferred  his  flag  to  the  Ariel,  on  the  morning  of  Sep- 
tember ii.     Both  squadrons  remained  at  anchor  near  the  place  of  battle 
until   about  nine  a.m.  of  that  day,  when  they  sailed   for  Put-in-Bay, 
where  they  arrived  about  noon  (W.  W.  Dobbins's  History  of  the  Battle 
of  Lake  Erie,  60). 

35  See  Document  2. 

[79] 


8o    BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

follow,  for  the  purpose  of  closing  with  the  enemy. 
Every  brace  and  bowline  being  soon  shot  away,  she 
became  unmanageable,  notwithstanding  the  great 
exertions  of  the  sailing  master.  In  this  situation, 
she  sustained  the  action  upwards  of  two  hours, 
within  canister  distance,  until  every  gun  was  ren- 
dered useless,  and  the  greater  part  of  her  crew 
either  killed  or  wounded.  Finding  she  could  no 
longer  annoy  the  enemy,  I  left  her  in  charge  of 
Lieutenant  Yarnall,30  who,  I  was  convinced,  from 
the  bravery  already  displayed  by  him,  would  do 
what  would  comport  with  the  honor  of  the  flag. 
At  half  past  two,  the  wind  springing  up,  Captain 
Elliott  was  enabled  to  bring  his  vessel,  the  Nia- 
gara, gallantly  into  close  action.  I  immediately 
went  on  board  of  her,  when  he  anticipated  my 
wishes,  by  volunteering  to  bring  the  schooners, 
which  had  been  kept  astern  by  the  lightness  of  the 
wind,  into  closer  action.  It  was  with  unspeakable 
pain  that  I  saw,  soon  after  I  got  on  board  the  Nia- 
gara, the  flag  of  the  Lawrence  come  down ;  although 
I  was  perfectly  sensible  that  she  had  been  defended 
to  the  last,  and  that,  to  have  continued  to  make  a 
show  of  resistance  would  have  been  a  wanton  sac- 

36  The  names  and  titles  of  the  officers  mentioned  by  Perry  in  this 
letter  are  as  follows:  Lieutenant  John  J.  Yarnall,  Master-commandant 
Jesse  Duncan  Elliott,  Acting  Lieutenant  Dulaney  Forrest,  Sailing-mas- 
ter William  V.  Taylor,  Lieutenant  (of  marines)  John  Brooks,  Mid- 
shipman Henry  Laub,  Midshipman  John  Clark,  Purser  Samuel  Ham- 
bleton,  Midshipman  Thomas  Claxton,  Midshipman  Augustus  Swartout, 
Lieutenant  Joseph  E.  Smith,  Lieutenant  John  J.  Edwards,  Midshipman 
Nelson  Webster,  Captain  Henry  B.  Brevoort  (of  the  army),  Lieutenant 
Daniel  Turner,  Lieutenant  John  Packet,  Sailing-master  Stephen  Champ- 
lin,  and  Purser  Humphrey  Magrath. 


PERRY  TO  JONES  81 

rifice  of  the  remains  of  her  brave  crew.  But  the 
enemy  was  not  able  to  take  possession  of  her,  and 
circumstances  soon  permitted  her  flag  again  to  be 
hoisted.  At  forty-five  minutes  past  two  the  signal 
was  made  for  "closer  action."  The  Niagara  being 
very  little  injured,  I  determined  to  pass  through 
the  enemy's  line;  bore  up,  and  passed  ahead  of  their 
two  ships  and  a  brig,  giving  a  raking  fire  to  them, 
from  the  starboard  guns,  and  to  a  large  schooner 
and  sloop  from  the  larboard  side,  at  half  pistol  shot 
distance.  The  smaller  vessels,  at  this  time,  having 
got  within  grape  and  canister  distance,  under  the 
direction  of  Captain  Elliott,  and  keeping  up  a  well 
directed  fire,  the  two  ships,  a  brig,  and  schooner, 
surrendered,  a  schooner  and  sloop  making  a  vain 
attempt  to  escape. 

Those  officers  and  men  who  were  immediately 
under  my  observation,  evinced  the  greatest  gallant- 
ry; and  I  have  no  doubt  that  all  others  conducted 
themselves  as  became  American  officers  and  sea- 
men. 

Lieutenant  Yarnell,  first  of  the  Lawrence,  al- 
though several  times  wounded,  refused  to  quit  the 
deck. 

Midshipman  Forrest  (doing  duty  as  lieutenant) 
and  Sailing  Master  Taylor,  were  of  great  assistance 
to  me. 

I  have  great  pain  in  stating  to  you  the  death  of 
Lieutenant  Brooks  of  the  marines,  and  Midship- 
man Laub,  both  of  the  Lawrence,  and  Midshipman 
John  Clark,  of  the  Scorpion;  they  were  valuable 
and  promising  officers. 


82  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Mr.  Hambleton,  purser,  who  volunteered  his 
services  on  deck,  was  severely  wounded,  late  in  the 
action;  Midshipmen  Claxton  and  Swartwout,  of 
the  Lawrence,  were  severely  wounded. 

On  board  the  Niagara,  Lieutenants  Smith  and 
Edwards,  and  Midshipman  Webster,  (doing  duty 
as  sailing  master)  behaved  in  a  very  handsome 
manner. 

Captain  Brevoort,  of  the  army,  who  acted  as  a 
volunteer,  in  the  capacity  of  a  marine  officer,  on 
board  that  vessel,  is  an  excellent  and  brave  officer, 
and  with  his  musketry  did  great  execution. 

Lieutenant  Turner,  commanding  the  Caledonia, 
brought  that  vessel  into  action  in  the  most  able  man- 
ner, and  is  an  officer  that,  in  all  situations,  may  be 
relied  on. 

The  Ariel,  Lieutenant  Packet,  and  Scorpion, 
Sailing  Master  Champlin,  were  enabled  to  get 
early  into  action,  and  were  of  great  service. 

Captain  Elliott  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of 
Mr.  Magrath,  purser,  who  had  been  despatched  in 
a  boat  on  service,  previous  to  my  getting  on  board 
the  Niagara;  and  being  a  seaman,  since  the  action 
has  rendered  essential  service  in  taking  charge  of 
one  of  the  prizes. 

Of  Captain  Elliott,  already  so  well  known  to  the 
government,  it  would  almost  be  superfluous  to 
speak.  In  this  action  he  evinced  his  characteristic 
bravery  and  judgment;  and,  since  the  close  of  the 
action,  has  given  me  the  most  able  and  essential 
assistance. 


PERRY  TO  JONES  83 

I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  you  a  return  of  the 
killed  and  wounded,  together  with  a  statement  of 
the  relative  force  of  the  squadrons.  The  captain 
and  first  lieutenant  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and 
first  lieutenant  to  the  Detroit,  were  killed;  Captain 
Barclay,  senior  officer,  and  the  commander  of  the 
Lady  Prevost,  severely  wounded.  The  comman- 
ders of  the  Hunter  and  Chippeway,  slightly 
wounded. 

Their  loss  in  killed  and  wounded37  I  have  not 
yet  been  able  to  ascertain ;  it  must,  however,  have 
been  very  great. 

Very  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 
your  most  obedient  servant, 

O.  H.  PERRY 


37  See  Document  6,  enclosure  2. 


[ENCLOSURE  38]  LIST  OF  KILLED  AND  WOUNDED  ON 
BOARD  THE  UNITED  STATES'   SQUADRON,  UN- 
DER COMMAND  OF  O.  H.  PERRY,  ESQ.  IN  THE 
ACTION  OF  icTH  SEPTEMBER,  1813,  VIZ: 

On  board  the  Lawrence,  killed 

John  Brooks,  lieutenant  marines  Joseph  Kennedy,  ditto 

Henry  Laub,  midshipman  Charles  Pohig,  seaman 

Christopher  Mayhew,  quarter  John  Smith,  seaman 

master  William  Cranston,  ordinary  sea- 
James  W.  Allen,  seaman  man 

John  C.  Kelly,  private  in  the  reg-  Andrew  Michael,  seaman 

iment  John  Hoffman,  ordinary  seaman 

Nelson  Peters,  seaman  James  Brown,  seaman 

James  Jones,  ditto  Ethelred  Sykes,  landsman 

John  Rose,  ditto  Philip   Sharbley,   corporal  of  ma- 
James  Carty,  sailmaker's  mate  rines 

Thomas  Butler,  seaman  Jesse  Harland,  private 

Wilson  Mays,  carpenter's  mate  Abner  Williams,  ditto 

On  board  the  Lawrence,  wounded 

John  J.  Yarnall,   ist  lieutenant,  William  Dawson,  seaman,  severely 
slightly  Westerly  Johnson,  ordinary  sea- 

Dulaney  Forrest,  ad  ditto,  slightly        man,  severely 

William  V.  Taylor,  sailing  mas-     Samuel  Spywood,  ditto,  severely 
ter,  slightly  Robert  Hill,  seaman,  slightly 

Samuel    Hambleton,    purser,    se-  Francis  Cummings,  ordinary  sea- 
verely  man,  severely 

38  These  lists,  it  would  seem,  were  enclosed  with  the  letter. 

[   84   ] 


PERRY  TO  JONES 85 

Thomas  Claxton,  midshipman,  se-  John  E.  Brown,  quarter  gunner, 

verely  severely 

Augustus    Swartwout,    midship-  William     Johnson,     boatswain's 

man,  severely  mate,  severely 

Jonas  Stone,  carpenter,  slightly       James  Helan,  ditto,  slightly 
William  C.  Keen,  master  at  arms,  George  Cornell,  carpenter's  mate, 

slightly  slightly 

Francis  Mason,  quarter  master,  Thomas      Hammond,      armorer, 

severely  slightly 

John  Newen,  ditto,  severely  John  Burnham,  ditto,  severely 

Joseph  Lewis,  ditto,  severely  John  Burdeen,  ditto,  severely 

Ezekiel  Fowler,  ditto,  slightly        Andrew  Mattison,  ditto,  severely 
Henry   Schroeder,   ordinary  sea-  Jeremiah  Easterbrook,  ordinary 

man,  severely  seaman,  severely 

Benoni  Price,  seaman,  severely        Thomas  Reed,  ditto,  severely 
Thomas  Robinson,  ditto,  severely  Charles    Vandyke,    ordinary    sea- 
Peter  Kinsley,  ditto,  severely  man,  severely 
Nathan  Chapman,  ditto,  severely  William  Simpson,  ditto,  severely 
Thomas   Hill,   ordinary  seaman,  Jesse  Williams,  ditto,  slightly 
severely                                         James  Hadley,  ditto,  slightly 
Barney  M'Cain,  ditto,  severely      James  Bird,  marine,  severely 
William  Thompson,  seaman,  se-  William  Burnett,  ditto,  severely 

verely  William  Baggs,  ditto,  severely 

George  Varnum,  ditto,  severely      David  Christie,  ditto,  severely 
James  Moses,  ditto,  severely  Henry  Vanpoole,  ditto,  severely 

William  Roe,  ditto,  severely  Thomas  Tuff,  landsman,  severely 

Joseph  Denning,  ditto,  severely      Elijah  Barlin,  ditto,  severely 
William  Daring,  ditto,  severely      John  Adams,  ditto,  slightly 
John  Clay,  ditto,  severely  Charles  Harrington,  ditto,  slightly 

Stephen  Fairfield,  ditto,  severely     William  B.  Perkins,  ditto,  slightly 
George  Williams,  ditto,  severely    Nathaniel  Wade,  boy,  severely 
Lannon  Huse,  ditto,  severely  Newport  Hazard,  ditto,  slightly 

James  Waddington,  ditto,  severely 

On  the  morning  of  the  action,  the  sick  list  of  the 
Lawrence  contained  thirty-one  unfit  for  duty. 


86  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

On  board  the  Niagara,  killed 
Peter  Morell,  seaman  Isaac  Hardy,  ordinary  seaman 

On  board  the  Niagara,  wounded 

John  J.  Edwards,  lieutenant  Henry  Davidson,  seaman 

John  L.  Cummings,  midshipman  John  M.  Strebeck,  ordinary  sea- 
Edward  Martin,  seaman   (since         man 

dead)  John  Freeman,  ditto 

Charles  Davidson,  seaman  James  Sansford,  seaman 

Daniel  Bennet,  ditto  Thomas  Wilson,  ditto 

John  Felton,  boatswain's  mate  Sergeant  Mason,  marine 

William  Davis,  ordinary  seaman  Corporal  Scott,  ditto 

(since  dead)  Thomas  Miller,  ditto 

Joshua    Trapnel,    marine    (since  John  Rumas,  ditto 

dead)  George  McManomy,  ditto 

Ronvell  Hall,  ordinary  seaman  George  Scoffield,  ditto 

George  Platt,  seaman  Samuel  Cochran,  ditto 
Elias  Wiley,  ordinary  seaman 

On  the  morning  of  the  action,  the  sick  list  of  the  Nia- 
gara contained  twenty-eight  unfit  for  duty. 

On  board  the  Caledonia,  wounded 

James  Artus,  slightly  Isaac  Perkins,  slightly 

James  Philips,  slightly 

On  board  the  Somers,  wounded 
Charles  Ordun  Godfrey  Bowman 

On  board  the  Ariel,  killed 
John  White,  boatswain's  mate 

Wounded 

William  Sloss,  ordinary  seaman,  John  Lucas,  landsman,  slightly 
slightly  Robert  Wilson,  seaman,  slightly 


PERRY  TO  JONES  87 

On  board  the  Trippe,  wounded 

Isaac  Green,  soldier,  26th   regi-  John   Nailes,  soldier,    iyth  regi- 
ment, badly  ment,  slightly 

On  board  the  Porcupine 
None  killed  or  wounded 

On  board  the  Scorpion,  killed 
John  Clark,  midshipman  John  Sylhamamer,  landsman 

On  board  the  Tigress 
None  killed  or  wounded. 

Two  days  previous  to  the  action,  the  sick  lists  of  the 
small  vessels  contained  the  names  of  fifty-seven  men 
unfit  for  service. 

Recapitulation 

Killed  Wounded  Total 

Lawrence,      .             .             .             .  22  61  83 

Niagara,         ....  2  25  27 

Caledonia,      ....  O               3  3 

Somers,           ....  O               2  2 

Ariel,              ....  I               3  4 

Trippe            ....  o               2  2 

Porcupine,      ....  o               O  O 

Scorpion,        ....  2               O  2 

Tigress,           ....  O               O  O 

27  96  123 

S.  HAMBLETON,  Purser. 

O.  H.  PERRY,  Captain  and  Senior  Officer. 


[ENCLOSURE  2]  STATEMENT  OF  THE  FORCE  OF  THE 
BRITISH  SQUADRON 

Detroit,  ship  19  guns,  one  on  pivot,  and  two  howitzers 

Queen  Charlotte,  ship  17  do.  do. 

Lady  Prevost,  schooner  13  do.  do. 

Hunter,  brig  10  do. 

Little  Belt,  sloop  3  do. 

Chippewa,  schooner  I  do.  and  two  swivels 

63  guns 

Note -The  Detroit  is  a  new  ship,  very  strongly  built, 
and  mounts  long  twenty-fours,  eighteens,  and  twelves. 

Statement  of  the  Force  of  the  United  States  Squadron 

Lawrence,  brig  2O  guns. 

Niagara,  brig  2O  do. 

Caledonia,  brig  3  do. 

Ariel,  schooner  4  do.   (one  burst  early  in  action) 

Scorpion,  schooner  2  do. 

Somers,  schooner  2  do. 

Trippe,  sloop  I  do. 

Tigress,  schooner  i  do. 

Porcupine,  schooner  i  do. 

54  guns 

The  exact  number  of  the  enemy's  force  has  not  been 
ascertained,  but  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  it 
exceeded  ours  by  nearly  one  hundred  men. 


[88] 


VIII 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 

SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Captains'  Letters,  1813,  volume  vi,  number 
41. 


8.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 

WILLIAM  JONES 

U.S.  SCHR.  ARIEL,  Put  in  Bay,  i3th  Septr.,  1813. 

Sir:  I  have  caused  the  prisoners  taken  on  the 
loth  inst  to  be  landed  at  Sandusky,  and  have  re- 
que^sted  Genl.  Harrison  to  have  them  marched  to 
Chilicothy,39  and  there  wait  until  your  pleasure 
shall  be  known  respecting  them. 

The  Lawrence  has  been  so  entirely  cut  up,  it  is 
absolutely  necessary,  she  should  go  into  a  safe  har- 
bor. I  have  therefore  directed  Lt.  Yarnall  to  pro- 
ceed to  Erie  in  her,  with  the  wounded  of  the  fleet, 
and  dismantle  and  get  her  over  the  bar,  as  soon  as 
possible.  It  will  probably  be  impossible  to  repair 
her  this  season  in  time  to  be  of  any  service.  I  have 
to  ask  your  directions  as  respects  the  disposal  of  the 
prizes,  the  two  ships  in  a  heavy  sea  this  day,  at 
anchor  lost  their  masts,  being  much  injured  in  the 
action.  I  shall  haul  them  into  the  inner  bay,  at 
this  place,  and  moor  them  for  the  present.  The 
four  other  prizes,  I  shall  fit  out  for  the  expedition 
against  Maiden,  and  for  transporting  Genl.  Har- 

39  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  then  capital  of  the  state,  situated  about  one 
hundred  miles  east  by  north  of  Cincinnati. 

[91] 


92  PERRY  TO  JONES 

rison's  troops.  The  Detroit  is  a  remarkably  fine 
ship,  sails  well  and  is  very  strongly  built.  The 
Queen  Charlotte  is  a  much  superior  vessel  to  what 
has  been  represented.  The  Lady  Prevost,  is  a  large 
fine  schooner. 

I  also  beg  your  instructions  respecting  the  woun- 
ded. I  am  satisfied,  Sir,  that  whatever  steps,  I 
might  take  governed  by  humanity,  would  meet 
your  approbation,  under  this  impression,  I  have 
taken  upon  myself  to  promise  Capt.  Barclay  who 
is  very  dangerously  wounded  that  he  shall  be  land- 
ed as  near  Lake  Ontario  as  possible,  and  I  ha^no 
doubt  you  would  allow  me  to  parole40  him,  he  is 
under  the  impression  that  nothing  but  leaving  this 
part  of  the  country,  will  save  his  life.  There  is 
also  a  number  of  Canadians  among  the  prisoners, 
many  who  have  families. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

very  respectfully  your  obd.  serv. 

O.  H.  PERRY 


40  See  Documents  14  and  16. 


IX 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 
MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM  HENRY  HARRISON 

From  N ties'  Register,  volume  v,  263. 


9.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  MAJOR-GENERAL  WILLIAM 

HENRY  HARRISON 

U.S.  SCHR.  ARIEL,  Sept.  15,  1813 

Sir:  The  very  great  assistance,  in  the  action  of 
the  loth  inst.  derived  from  those  men  you  were 
pleased  to  send  on  board  the  squadron,  render  it  a 
duty  to  return  you  my  sincere  thanks  for  so  timely  a 
reinforcement.41  In  fact,  sir,  I  may  say,  without 
those  men  the  victory  could  not  have  been  achieved ; 
and  equally  to  assure  you,  that  those  officers  and 
men  behaved  as  became  good  soldiers  and  seamen. 
Those  who  were  under  my  immediate  observation, 
evinced  great  ardor  and  bravery.  Captain  Bre- 
vort,42  of  the  second  regiment  of  infantry,  serving 
on  board  the  Niagara,  I  beg  leave  to  recommend 
particularly  to  your  notice:  he  is  a  brave  and  gal- 
lant officer,  and  as  far  as  I  am  capable  of  judging 
an  excellent  one.  I  am  convinced  you  will  present 
the  merit  of  this  officer  to  the  view  of  the  honorable 
secretary  of  war,  as  I  shall  to  the  honorable  secre- 
tary of  the  navy. 

Very  respectfully,  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  ser- 
vant, OLIVER  H.  PERRY 

41  The  names  of  the  officers  and  men  serving  with  Perry  will  be 
found  in  the  American  State  Papers,  Naval  Affairs,  vol.  i,  566-572. 

42  Captain  Henry  B.  Brevoort. 

[95] 


X 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 

SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Captains'  Letters,  1813,  volume  vi,  number 
65. 


io.     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 

WILLIAM  JONES 

U.S.  SCHOOR.  ARIEL,  Put  in  Bay,  Sepr.  lyth,  1813 

Sir:    I  send  by  Mr.  Forrest43  the  flags  taken  in 
the  action  of  the  loth  inst.  on  Lake  Erie. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  Obd.  Servt. 

O.  H.  PERRY 


43  Acting  Lieutenant  Dulaney  Forrest.     See  page  45. 
[99] 


XI 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 
SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Captains'  Letters,  1813,  volume  vi,  number 
66. 


1 1 .     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 

WILLIAM  JONES 

U.S.  SCHOONER  ARIEL,  At  anchor  off  Portage 
River44  i8th  Septr.,  1813 

Sir:  Among  the  officers  taken  are  a  number 
who  have  large  family's  in  Canada.45  I  have  di- 
rected that  they  be  left  near  the  lake,  until  your 
orders  may  be  had  respecting  them.  They  are  ex- 
tremely anxious  to  return  home. 

Very  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 
your  obd.  sert.  O.  H.  PERRY 


**  The  Portage  River  empties  into  Lake  Erie  a  few  miles  to  the 
westward  of  Sandusky  Bay. 

45  For  officers  of  the  Canadian  provincial  marine,  see  L.  Homfray 
Irving's  Officers  of  the  British  Forces  in  Canada,  202-207. 

[103] 


XII 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 
SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Captains'  Letters,  1813,  volume  vi,  number 
73- 


REDUCED  FACSIMILE  OF  THE  LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  PERRY  TO 
SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES,  SEPTEMBER  20,  1813 

From  the  original  manuscript  in  the  United   States  Navy  Department 
Archives,  Washington,  D.C. 


12. 


U.  S.  SCHOOR.  ARIEL,  Sepr.  20th,  1813 

off  Portage  River 

Sir:  Still  wishing  to  return  to  Rhode  Island 
the  moment  my  services  can  be  spared  from  this 
lake  I  hope  I  may  be  honored  with  your  permis- 
sion to  that  effect.46 

I  beg  leave,  Sir,  to  call  your  attention  again  to 
the  case  of  Capt.  Barclay.  I  have  taken  upon  my- 
self to  promise  him,  his  parole.  In  fact,  Sir,  in  his 
situation  I  could  not  have  refused  him  any  thing - 
although  I  am  sensible  I  ought  to  have  waited  for 
your  orders -I  trust,  Sir,  you  will  estimate  the  mo- 
tives which  have  governed  me  in  this  affair.47 

With  great  respect,  I  am,  Sir,  your  obd.  sert. 

O.  H.  PERRY 


46  See  Documents  16  and  17. 

47  See  Documents  8,  14,  and  16. 


[  109] 


XIII 

LETTER  OF  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 
WILLIAM  JONES 

TO 
COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Letters  to  Officers  of  Ships  of  War^  volume 
xi,  93- 


i3.     SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM 

JONES  TO  COMMODORE  OLIVER 

HAZARD  PERRY 

Naval  Department  [Washington,  D.  C.] 

Septr.  2ist,  1813 

Sir:  Rumour48  had  preceded  and  prepared  the 
public  mind  for  the  enthusiastic  reception  of  the 
glorious  tidings,  confirmed  by  your  letter  of  the 
loth  received  and  published  in  handbills  this  day. 

Every  demonstration  of  joy  and  admiration,  that 
a  victory  so  transcendently  brilliant,  decisive,  and 
important  in  its  consequences,  could  excite,  was  ex- 
hibited as  far  and  as  fast  as  the  roar  of  cannon  and 
the  splendour  of  illumination  could  travel. 

In  the  absence  of  the  President  I  have  no  hesi- 
tation in  anticipating  his  warmest  admiration  and 
thanks,  in  behalf  of  our  country,  for  this  splendid 
achievement,  which  must  ever  continue  among  the 
brightest  honours  of  the  nation.  You  will  please 
accept,  for  yourself,  an  ample  share,  and  communi- 
cate to  the  gallant  officers,  seamen,  and  others,  un- 
der your  command,  the  full  measure  of  those  senti- 
ments and  feelings,  which  it  is  my  duty  to  express, 
and  my  delight  to  cherish. 

48  The  first  news  of  the  battle  reached  Washington  on  September  18. 
[H3] 


ii4  JONES  TO  PERRY 

Tomorrow,  I  trust,  will  bring  the  interesting  de- 
tails, for  which  so  many  hearts  are  palpitating  be- 
tween the  laurel  and  the  cypress. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  JONES 


off  tin-  \\ 

,  J  I'.  M. 

\\y  have  met  fee  enemy  . 

i. 


D<  -it- 


\r>n. 
Copy  of  a  Ittur  to  the  fditor  of  tin  • 

•)!XT. 

' 

')n->s  from  coiuiv 
'  ki  n 

.  nwn-  privwrs  th:m  ho  had  mrn 
.•.!  T-.vn  KrippitlitT  r.-  iv  r.iK." 

Dn*  lvtt<  r  fitrihiT  :,r->tcs — "  \Vc  ^lu•.!!  «.Ti.'  'id< :' 

to-rnor 


FACSIMILE  OF  A  BROADSIDE  ANNOUNCING  THE  VICTORY 

From  the  original  in  the  collection  of  the  New  York  Historical 
Society 


XIV 

LETTER  OF  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 
WILLIAM  JONES 

TO 
COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Letters  to  Officers  of  Ships  of  War,  volume 
xi,  94-95- 


1 4.     SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM 

JONES  TO  COMMODORE  OLIVER 

HAZARD  PERRY 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  [Washington,  D.  C.] 

Septr.  22nd,  1813 

Sir:  Referring  to  my  letter  of  yesterday,  in  an- 
swer to  yours  of  the  loth,  I  have  now  to  acknowl- 
edge the  receipt,  this  instant,  of  your  two  letters  of 
of  the  1 3th  inst.,49  containing  the  details  of  the  ac- 
tion, which  terminated  in  the  glorious  victory  of 
the  loth- which,  though  sanguinary  and  destruc- 
tive, I  am  happy  to  find,  has  been  less  so,  among 
our  valuable  officers,  than  I  had  apprehended. 

The  commissary  general  of  prisoners,50  who  has 
the  entire  direction  of  that  department,  will  im- 
mediately direct  what  is  proper  to  be  done  in  that 
respect,  and  I  will  venture  to  anticipate  his  appro- 
bation of  your  promise  to  admit  Captain  Barclay 
to  his  parole,  and  to  extend,  not  only  to  him,  but  to 
the  other  wounded  prisoners,  all  the  humanity, 
which  a  generous  enemy  can  bestow,  and  a  benev- 
olent .people  approve. 

In  respect  to  the  disposition  of  the  prizes,  I  can, 

49  See  Documents  2,  7,  8,  and  13. 

50  General  John  Mason.     See  Niles'  Register,  vol.  v,  52-53. 

[H9] 


120  JONES  TO  PERRY 

at  present,  only  observe,  that  you  will  employ  such 
as  may  be  in  condition,  in  such  way  as  the  public 
service  may  require,  on  the  contemplated  military 
expedition ;  and  place  the  remainder  in  safety,  un- 
til future  measures  be  adopted  for  their  final  dis- 
position. 

They  will,  of  course,  be  regularly  libelled  and 
adjudicated,  in  some  of  one  of  the  courts  of  the 
United  States. 

The  two  ships,  I  presume,  are  too  heavy  to  be  got 
over  the  Bar  of  Erie;  and  I  know  not,  if  the  inner 
Bay  of  Sandusky  affords  shelter  sufficient,  until 
another  more  secyre  and  convenient  can  be  found. 
Should  the  success  of  our  arms  place  Maiden  and 
Detroit  River  in  our  possession,  this  object  would 
be  obtained. 

I  hope  the  military  expedition  may  not  detain 
the  whole  of  your  force  so  long  as  to  defeat  the  in- 
tention of  sending  a  part  into  Lake  Huron,  should 
we  be  so  fortunate  as  to  command  the  passes. 

Upon  all  these  subjects,  and  in  everything  relat- 
ing to  your  command,  you  will  communicate  with, 
and  receive  the  instructions  of  Commodore  Chaun- 
cey,  communicating  to  this  department  direct  (in 
order  to  save  time),  as  well  as  to  Commodore 
Chauncey,  whatever  may  appear  to  you  of  sufficient 
importance  to  the  government. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  JONES 


XV 

LETTER  OF  DR.  USHER  PARSONS 

TO 
WILLIAM  PARSONS 

From  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society  Pub- 
lications, new  series,  volume  vii,  245-246.  Parsons 
was  a  naval  surgeon  on  board  the  flag-ship  Lawrence. 
In  1852  he  delivered  a  discourse  before  the  Rhode 
Island  Historical  Society  in  which  he  made  a  com- 
plete statement  of  his  recollections  of  the  Battle  of 
Lake  Erie  (Providence,  1853,  36  pages).  The  same 
views  that  he  then  expressed  respecting  Elliott  he 
held  a  few  days  after  the  battle  as  may  be  seen  from 
the  letter  here  published. 


15.     DR.  USHER  PARSONS  TO  WILLIAM 
PARSONS 

OFF  LOWER  SANDUSKY,  near  Put-In  Bay,  and  near 
the  head  of  Lake  Erie  on  board  Brig  Lawrence 

Sept.  2ad,  1813 

DEAR  PARENTS:  Before  the  arrival  of  this,  an 
account  of  our  victorious  engagement  with  the 
British  squadron  on  this  lake  will  reach  you.  I  can 
only  add  a  few  particulars.  Most  of  the  action 
was  supported  by  this  vessel  as  you  will  be  led  to 
suppose  when  informed  that  out  of  one  hundred 
fifty  men  (our  ships  crew),  thirty-one  of  whom 
were  sick  previous  to  the  action  we  had  rising 
eighty51  killed  and  wounded,  among  whom  were 
nearly  all  our  officers  save  the  intrepid  commander. 
On  board  all  the  others  were  about  thirty  killed 
and  wounded.  This  vessel  supported  a  destructive 
fire  from  the  enemy's  two  ships  on  one  side  and  a 
brig  astern  raking  us  for  two  hours,  all  within  mus- 
ket shot,  during4vhich  we  so  disabled  the  ships  that 
when  the  commodore  left  this  vessel  to  bring  an- 
other into  her  assistance  he  succeeded  in  fifteen 
minutes  in  making  all  three  strike.  It  may  seem 
mysterious  to  one  how  some  of  the  other  vessels 

61  According  to  Perry's  list,  eighty-three   (see  Document  7). 
[123] 


124  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

could  see  us  slaughtered  in  such  a  manner,  but 
it  is  equally  so  to  us.  Nor  can  the  commanders 
of  some  of  them  offer  satisfactory  reasons,  for  re- 
maining behind.  Unfortunately  for  the  wound- 
ed, the  two  surgeons  had  been  confined  for  some 
days  with  fever  and  could  render  them  but  little 
assistance.  It,  however,  has  operated  in  my  fa- 
vour, as  I  have  had  all  the  amputating  to  per- 
form and  it  affords  me  the  greatest  pleasure  to 
reflect  that  in  no  case  have  I  failed  of  the  best 
success,  this  has  impressed  the  commodore  with 
so  favourable  an  opinion  toward  me  that  I  have 
not  the  least  doubt  of  his  rendering  me  assist- 
ance to  a  better  situation.  He  is  the  first  warm 
friend  I  have  met  with  in  the  service,  capable  of 
assisting  me.  I  am  now  on  my  way  in  the  Lawrence 
for  Erie,  having  all  the  sick  and  wounded  on  board 
and  shall  continue  with  them  in  the  hospital  'til 
the  most  of  them  recover,  and  then  intend  to  shape 
my  course  for  Cape  Home.  Gen.  Harrison  was  on 
board  the  Lawrence  this  morning,  and  his  army 
was  on  an  island  within  half  a  mile  of  the  vessel, 
consisting  of  about  seven  thousand.  Tomorrow 
they  cross  to  Maiden52  a  distance  of  about  eighteen 
miles.  Since  the  loss  of  the  British  fleet  the  In- 
dians have  deserted  Detroit  after  burning  the  place 
and  (as  is  reported)  massacreing  the  inhabitants.  I 
had  some  narrow  escapes  for  my  life;  during  the 
action  five  cannon  balls  passed  through  the  room 
in  which  I  was  attending  to  the  wounded.  Two 

52  The  movement  of  the  army  that  culminated  in  the  Battle  of  the 
Thames  on  October  5,  1813. 


USHER  PARSONS  TO  WILLIAM  PARSONS    125 

that  I  had  dressed  and  laid  aside  were  afterwards 
killed  during  the  action.  The  enemy's  squadron 
mounted  more  guns  than  ours  and  carried  at  least 
one  fourth  more  men.  In  the  course  of  a  year  I 
hope  to  obtain  a  little  prize  money.  I  have  enjoyed 
very  bad  health  during  this  cruise  and  am  reduced 
to  a  skeleton,  and  will  never  cross  this  or  any  other 
lake  again. 

I  have  lately  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  A.  Hall 
Jr  and  one  from  Charlotte  Parsons,  dated  August 
z8th. 

Remember  me  to  enquiring  friends.  Your  affec- 
tionate son 

USHER  PARSONS 
Saml.  is  steady  and  well. 


XVI 

LETTER  OF  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 
WILLIAM  JONES 

TO 
COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Letters  to  Officers  of  Ships  of  War,  volume 
xi,  102-103. 


i6.     SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM 

JONES  TO  COMMODORE  OLIVER 

HAZARD  PERRY 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT  [Washington,  D.C.] 

Septr.  29th,  181^ 

SIR:  The  President  has  confirmed  the  senti- 
ments, which  I  anticipated,  in  my  letter  to  you  of 
the  aist  inst.53  in  a  manner  the  most  ample  and  ex- 
pressive. 

I  have,  by  his  direction,  executed  a  commission54 
promoting  you  to  the  rank  of  a  captain  in  the  navy 
of  the  United  States,  whic,h  I  will  forward  to  what- 
ever place  you  shall  please  to  direct. 

I  am,  this  morning,  favoured  with  yours  of  the 
2Oth55  and,  although  there  is  much  of  importance 
yet  to  be  done  upon  the  Upper  Lakes,  which  I 
should  like  you  to  bring  to  maturity,  yet,  if  you 
think  the  service  will  not  suffer  by  your  absence, 
you  are  at  liberty,  as  soon  as  the  public  interest 
shall  admit  of  your  departure,  to  proceed  to  Rhode 
Island  and  resume  your  command  there,  until  a 
ship,  suitable  to  your  rank,  shall  be  at  the  disposal 
of  the  department. 

53  See  Document  13. 

54  Perry's  commission  was  dated  September  10,  1813. 
65  See  Document  12. 

[129] 


130  JONES  TO  PERRY 

In  the  event  of  your  resigning  the  command  of 
the  Erie  squadron,  it  will,  of  course,  devolve  on 
Captain  Elliott,  who  will  communicate  with,  and 
receive  the  instructions  of  Commodore  Chauncey,56 
the  commander-in-chief,  who  will  be  furnished 
with  a  copy  of  this  letter. 

Capt.   Elliott  will  communicate   direct  to  this 
department  (in  order  to  save  time),  whatever  may 
«be  of  importance  to  be  speedily  known. 

The  commissary  general  of  prisoners  has  given 
the  necessary  directions,  in  relation  to  those  cap- 
tured by  you,  and  you  will  not  parole  any  person, 
except  Captain  Barclay,  without  his  special  au- 
thority. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  JONES 


56  Commodore  Isaac  Chauncey,  commander-in-chief  of  the  American 
naval  forces  on  the  lakes. 


XVII 

LETTER  OF  COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO 

SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY  WILLIAM  JONES 

From  the  United  States  Navy  Department  Ar- 
chives, Captains'  Letters,  1813,  volume  vii,  num- 
ber 3. 


17-     COMMODORE  OLIVER  HAZARD  PERRY 

TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  NAVY 

WILLIAM  JONES 

U.S.  SCHOONER  ARIEL,  Detroit,  i6th  October,  1813 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  re- 
ceipt of  your  several  letters  of  the  aist  and  22nd 
ult."  I  beg  you,  Sir,  to  accept  my  thanks  for  the 
very  flattering  manner  you  are  pleased  to  speak  of 
the  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  belonging  to 
the  squadron  under  my  command,  in  the  action  of 
the  loth  September.  To  possess  the  good  opinion 
of  the  government  is  what  we  are  all  ambitious  of, 
and  I  hope,  and  trust,  the  future  exertions  of  all 
will  be  such  as  to  merit,  a  continuance  of  that  favor 
which  has  been  so  liberally  bestowed  in  this  in- 
stance. 

I  should  feel  a  delicacy  in  accepting  the  post 
captain's58  commission,  which  it  has  pleased  the 
President  to  order  to  be  sent  me,  if  I  did  not  con- 
sider the  precedent  long  since  established,  by  the 
appointment  of  Capt.  Decatur  over  the  heads  of 
others.59  Should  I  be  wrong  in  this  opinion,  I  re- 

57  See  Documents  13  and  14. 

68  A  term  used  interchangeably  with  "captain." 

59  A  reference  to  the  promotion  of  Decatur,  in  1804,  over  several 
officers  senior  to  him  in  rank,  as  a  reward  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Philadelphia,  in  the  harbor  of  Tripoli. 

[133] 


134  PERRY  TO  JONES 

quest,  Sir,  that  the  commission  may  be  kept  back 
until  my  right  shall  entitle  me  to  that  honor  with- 
out passing  over  Capt.  Leonard.60 

As  long,  Sir,  as  I  can  be  of  service  here,  I  shall 
remain,  with  pleasure. 

Very  respectfully,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

your  obd.  sert. 
O.  H.  PERRY 


60  Master-commandant  James  T.  Leonard  stood  next  above  Perry 
at  the  head  of  the  list  of  masters-commandant.  In  promoting  Perry 
to  be  captain  it  was  necessary  to  pass  over  Leonard. 


XVIII 

COURT-MARTIAL  OF  COMMANDER  ROBERT 
HERIOT  BARCLAY,  SEPTEMBER,  1814 

From  a  manuscript  copy  in  the  United  States 
Navy  Department  Library,  Washington.  This  was 
obtained  for  Rear-admiral  Alfred  Thayer  Mahan, 
U.S.N.,  in  1903  or  1904. 


1 8.     COURT-MARTIAL  OF  COMMANDER 
ROBERT  HERIOT  BARCLAY,  SEP- 
TEMBER, 1814 

At  a  Court  Martial  assembled  on  board  His 
Majesty's  ship  Gladiator  in  Portsmouth  Harbour 
on  the  ninth  day  of  September,  1814,  Present: 

Edward  James  Foote,  Esquire,  rear  admiral  of  the  White 
and  second  officer  in  the  command  of  His  Majesty's 
ships  and  vessels  at  Spithead  and  in  Portsmouth  Har- 
bour —  President 
Captain  Benjamin  Willm.          Captain  Sir  James  Athol 

Page  Wood,  Knt. 

George  Fowke  David  Lloyd 

Adam  Drummond  Edward  Brace 

Zachariah  Mudge  Richard  Byron  62 

Arthur  Farquhar  John  Quilliam 

James  Richard  Dacres  61  George  Francis  Seymour 

Pursuant  to  an  order  from  the  Right  Honorable 
Lords  Commissfioners]  of  the  Admiralty  dated 
the  eighth  day  of  September,  1814,  and  directed  to 
the  President  setting  forth  that  Commodore  Sir 
James  Lucas  Yeo,63  had  transmitted  to  their  Lord- 

61  Dacres  was  commander  of  the  British  frigate  "Guerriere"  when 
she  was  captured  by  the  United  States  frigate  "Constitution"  in  Au- 
gust,  iSiz. 

62  Byron  was  commander  of  the  British  frigate  "Belvidera,"  when 
she  made  her  escape  from  the  squadron  of  Commodore  John  Rodgers 
in  June,  1812. 

63  Commander-in-chief  of  the  British  naval  forces  on  the  lakes. 

[137] 


138  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

ships  the  copy  of  a  letter  which  he  had  received 
from  Robert  .Heriot  Barclay,  Esquire,  commander 
of  His  Majesty's  late  ship  Detroit  and  senior  offi- 
cer commanding  a  squadron  of  His  Majesty's  ships 
and  vessels  in  Lake  Erie  dated  the  i2th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1813,  detailing  the  particular  circumstances  of 
the  capture  of  the  said  squadron  on  Lake  Erie  by  a 
squadron  of  ships  and  vessels  of  the  United  States 
of  America  on  the  loth  of  the  same  month.  The 
court  proceeded  to  enquire  into  the  cause  and  cir- 
cumstances of  the  capture  of  His  Majesty's  late 
squadron  and  to  try  the  said  Captain  Robert  Heriot 
Barclay,  his  surviving  officers  and  seamen  late  be- 
longing thereto,  for  their  conduct  on  that  occasion, 
and  having  heard  the  evidence  produced  and  com- 
pleted the  enquiry,  and  having  maturely  and  delib- 
erately weighed  and  considered  the  whole,  the 
court  is  of  opinion  that  the  capture  of  His  Majes- 
ty's late  squadron  was  caused  by  the  very  defective 
means  Captain  Barclay  possessed  to  equip  them  on 
Lake  Erie,  the  want  of  a  sufficient  number  of  able 
seamen  whom  he  had  repeatedly  and  earnestly  re- 
quested to  be  sent  to  him,  the  very  great  superiority 
of  the  force  of  the  enemy  to  the  British  squadron 
and  the  unfortunate  early  fall  of  the  superior  offi- 
cers in  the  action.  That  it  appears  that  the  greatest 
exertions  had  been  made  by  Captain  Barclay  in 
equipping  and  getting  into  order,  the  vessels  under 
his  command.  That  he  was  fully  justified  under 
the  existing  circumstances  in  bringing  the  enemy 
to  action.  That  the  judgment  and  gallantry  of 
Captain  Barclay  in  taking  his  squadron  into  action 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  139 

and  during  the  contest  were  highly  conspicuous 
and  entitled  him  to  the  highest  praise  and  that  the 
whole  of  the  other  officers  and  men  of  His  Majes- 
ty's late  squadron  conducted  themselves  in  the  most 
gallant  manner  and  doth  adjudge  the  said  Captain 
Robert  Heriot  Barclay,  his  surviving  officers  and 
men  to  be  most  fully  and  most  honourably  acquit- 
ted and  they  are  hereby  most  fully  and  most  hon- 
ourably acquitted  accordingly. 

EDWD.  JAS.  FOOTE          J.  A.  WOOD 
B.  W.  PAGE  DAVID  LLOYD 

GEORGE  FOWKE  E.  BRACE 

ADAM  DRUMMOND         R.  BYRON 
ZACHARY  MUDGE  J.  QUILLIAM 

ARTHR.  FARQUHAR         G.  F.  SEYMOUR 
JAS.  R.  DACRES 
MR.  GREETHAM,  Dy.  Judge 
Advocate  of  the  Fleet. 

Minutes  taken  at  a  Court  Martial  assembled  on 
board  His  Majesty's  ship  Gladiator  in  Ports- 
mouth Harbour  on  the  ninth  day  of  September, 
1814.  Present: 

Edward  James  Foote,  Esquire,  rear  admiral  of  the  White 
and  second  officer  in  the  command  of  His  Majesty's 
ships  and  vessels  at  Spithead  and  in  Portsmouth  Har- 
bour -  President. 
Captains  Benjm.  Wm.  Page      Captains  Sir  Jas.  Athol 

George  Fowke  Wood,  Knt: 

Adam  Drummond  Edward  Brace 

Zachariah  Mudge  Richd.  Byron 

Arthur  Farquhar  John  Quilliam 

Jas.  Richd.  Dacres  Geoe.  Fras.  Seymour 

David  Lloyd 


i4o  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Captain  Robert  Heriot  Barclay,6*  commander 
of  His  Majesty's  late  ship,  Detroit,  his  surviving 
officers  and  seamen,  were  brought  in  and  audience 
admitted. 

The  order  from  the  Right  Honorable  Lords 
Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty,  dated  the  eighth 
day  of  September,  1814  and  directed  to  the  Presi- 
dent, setting  forth,  that  Commodore  Sir  James 
Lucas  Yeo  had  transmitted  to  their  Lordships  the 
copy  of  a  letter  which  he  had  received  from  Robert 
Heriot  Barclay,  Esquire,  commander  of  His  Maj- 
esty's late  ship,  Detroit,  and  senior  officer  com- 
manding a  squadron  of  His  Majesty's  ships  and 
vessel  [jtc]  on  Lake  Erie,  dated  the  i2th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1813,  detailing  the  particular  circumstances 
of  the  capture  of  the  said  squadron  on  Lake  Erie 
by  a  squadron  of  ships  and  vessels  of  the  United 
States  of  America  on  the  loth  of  the  same  month, 
and  to  enquire  into  the  cause  and  circumstances  of 
the  capture  of  His  Majesty's  late  squadron,  and  to 
try  the  said  Captain  Robert  Heriot  Barclay,  his 
surviving  officers  and  seamen  late  belonging  there- 
to, for  their  conduct  on  that  occasion,  was  read. 

64  Barclay's  appearance  at  his  trial  has  been  thus  described  by  an 
eye  witness:  "It  was  not  possible  to  see  this  brave  officer  before  the 
court,  and  not  be  agitated  with  mingled  feelings  of  regret  and  ad- 
miration, with  one  arm  amputated,  the  other  so  dangerously  wounded 
as  to  be  suspended  in  bandages  in  a  most  particular  position ;  a  part 
of  his  thigh  cut  away  by  a  cannon  shot;  and,  with  five  other  wounds, 
he  presented,  while  the  sentence  was  passing,  an  honourable  instance 
of  suffering  heroism,  and  mental  sensibility  for  he  was  affected  at 
the  testimony  borne  by  the  court  to  his  conduct,  almost  to  the  shedding 
of  tears."  -  Naval  Chronicle,  vol.  xxxii,  243.  , 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY       '      141 

The  President  reported  to  the  court,  that  Cap- 
tains Peter  Heywood  and  James  Black65  were  ab- 
sent on  Admiralty  leave. 

The  members  of  the  court,  and  the  judge  advo- 
cate then  in  open  court,  and  before  they  proceeded 
to  trial  respectively  took  the  several  oaths  enjoined 
and  directed  in  and  by  an  Act  of  Parliament  made 
and  passed  in  the  twenty-second  year  of  the  reign 
of  His  late  Majesty,  King  George  the  second,  en- 
titled, "An  Act  for  amending,  explaining,  and  re- 
ducing into  one  Act  of  Parliament  the  Laws  re- 
lating to  the  Government  of  His  Majesty's  Ships, 
Vessels,  and  Forces  by  Sea." 

Then  the  said  letter  from  the  said  Commodore 
Sir  James  Lucas  Yeo  and  the  copy  of  the  letter 
from  the  said  Captain  Robert  Heriot  Barclay  were 
read,  and  are  hereto  annexed.66 

To  Captain  Barclay: 

Q.  Have  you  any  further  narrative  to  produce 
of  the  transactions  respecting  the  loss  of  His  Maj- 
esty's squadron  on  Lake  Erie? 

Captain  Barclay  produced  a  narative67  [we], 
which  was  read,  and  is  hereto  annexed. 

Captain  Barclay  being  sworn,  declared  that  the 
contents  of  the  narrative  that  had  been  read  to  the 
court  were  correct  and  true  to  the  best  of  his  knowl- 
edge and  belief. 

Q.     Have  you  any  complaint  to  make  against 

65  Members  of  the  court  who  did  not  attend  its  sittings. 

66  For  the  letter  of  Yeo,  see  Niles'  Register,  vol.  vi,  181;   for  the 
letter  of  Barclay,   see  Document  6. 

67  See  the  latter  part  of  this  document,  pages  152-165. 


142  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

any  of  the  officers  or  crews  of  the  squadron  lately 
under  your  command  on  Lake  Erie? 

A.    None. 

To  the  Officers : 

Q.  Have  either  of  you  any  complaint  to  make 
against  Captain  Barclay  respecting  his  conduct  on 
the  occasion? 

A.     None  whatever. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  Stokoe  sworn. 

Q.  Are  the  contents  of  the  narrative  of  Cap- 
tain Barclay  more  particularly  as  to  the  scarcity  of 
provisions  at  Lake  Erie  and  the  want  of  seamen  on 
board  the  squadron  correct  and  true  as  far  as  came 
within  your  knowledge  and  to  the  best  of  your  be- 
lief? 

A.  They  are,  we  were  particularly  short  of  sea- 
men. 

Q.  How  many  men  had  you  on  board  the 
Queen  Charlotte  that  you  could  call  experienced 
seamen? 

A.  Not  more  than  ten  with  the  petty  officer. 
We  had  on  board  between  one  hundred  and  twenty 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty  men,  officers,  and  all 
together. 

Q.  How  many  men  had  you  on  board  that  had 
been  accustomed  to  work  the  great  guns  with  a  ship 
in  motion? 

A.  Only  the  men  that  came  up  from  the  Do- 
ver68 three  days  before  we  sailed,  we  had  sixteen  of 

68  His  Majesty's  troop-ship  at  Quebec. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  143 

them,  boys  included,  from  the  Dover,  the  rest  we 
learnt  ourselves  since  our  arrival  on  the  Lake. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  other  vessels 
that  composed  the  squadron  of  Captain  Barclay 
were  equally  deficient  in  seamen? 

A.  All  the  other  vessels  were  equally  deficient 
in  point  of  seamen,  except  the  Detroit  might  have 
had  a  few  more  on  account  of  being  a  larger  vessel. 

Q.  Were  you  a  prisoner  on  board  the  Ameri- 
can vessels? 

A.  No,  I  remained  on  board  our  own  vessel  six 
weeks  after  we  were  captured,  I  never  was  on  board 
any  of  the  enemy's  vessels. 

Q.  How  many  of  those  seamen  of  the  British 
squadron  were  killed  and  wounded? 

A.  One  killed  and  four  wounded  of  the  able 
seamen  on  board  the  Queen  Charlotte. 

Q.  At  half  an  allowance  how  many  days  pro- 
visions had  you  on  board  the  Queen  Charlotte 
when  you  went  out? 

A.  We  might  have  had  a  weeks  at  half  allow- 
ance of  provisions,  but  not  of  spirits.  They  were 
preserved  for  the  action,  and  all  consumed  on  that 
day,  we  had  none  served  out  for  several  days  be- 
fore. 

Q.  Can  you  recollect  the  state  of  the  Queen 
Charlotte  just  before  you  were  wounded? 

A .  Several  shots  had  struck  the  vessel  many  of 
the  ropes  were  cut  away,  but  the  vessel  was  then 
manageable,  this  was  about  an  hour  and  a  quarter 


144  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

after  the  commencement  of  the  action.  Captain 
Finnis69  and  Lieutenant  Garden  of  the  Royal  New- 
foundland Regiment  were  killed  immediately  on 
the  commencement  of  the  action,  before  a  man  was 
hurt.  There  were  then  one  provincial  lieutenant, 
one  masters  mate  that  had  been  in  the  navy,  and 
two  provincial  midshipmen,  quite  youngsters,  and 
two  warrant  officers,  a  boatswain  and  gunner  left, 
this  was  after  I  was  wounded. 

Q.  At  what  distance  did  the  Niagara  engage 
the  Queen  Charlotte  in  the  beginning  of  the  action? 

A.  She  engaged  us  on  the  quarter  out  of  car- 
ronade  distance,  with  what  long  guns  she  had. 

Q.  Was  your  principal  injury  received  from 
her? 

A.  No,  from  the  Caledonia,  who  laid  on  our 
beam  with  two  long  twenty-four  pounders  on  piv- 
ets,  also  out  of  carronade  shot  distance. 

Captain  Barclay  asked: 

Q.  Had  provincial  Lieutenant  Irvine  experi- 
ence sufficient  to  such  service,  as  to  conduct  the 
Queen  Charlotte  in  action  after  the  death  of  Cap- 
tain Finnis,  and  your  own  wound? 

A.  He  was  a  very  brave  young  man,  a  perfect 
seaman,  but  not  experienced  as  an  officer. 

Provincial  Lieutenant  Francis  Purvis,  late  of 
His  Majesty's  ship  Detroit,  called  in  and  sworn. 

Q.  Are  the  contents  of  the  narrative  of  Cap- 
tain Barclay  more  particularly  as  to  the  scarcity  of 
provisions  at  Lake  Erie  and  the  want  of  seamen  on 

69  For  the  full  names  of  the  officers  here  mentioned,  see  Document  6. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  145 

board  the  squadron  correct  and  true  as  far  as  came 
within  your  knowledge  and  to  the  best  of  your  be- 
lief? 

A.     Yes,  they  are. 

Q.  How  many  experienced  seamen  had  you  on 
board  the  Detroit  when  the  action  commenced? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  not  more  than 
ten,  petty  officers  included. 

Q.  How  long  had  the  Detroit  been  in  action 
when  Captain  Barclay  unfortunately  received  his 
wound? 

A.  About  two  hours  and  a  half  to  the  best  of 
my  recollection. 

Q.  Was  every  exertion  made  to  defend  the 
ship  after  Captain  Barclay  was  wounded? 

A.    Yes. 

Q.  Was  she  at  that  time  in  a  very  disabled  and 
unmanageable  state? 

A.     Very  much  so  indeed. 

Q.  Can  you  recollect  how  many  of  those  ten 
seamen  were  killed  and  wounded? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection  seven  or 
eight  were  killed  or  wounded. 

Q.  How  near  were  the  enemy  to  you  during 
the  early  part  of  the  engagement? 

A.  I  should  suppose  in  the^early  part  of  the  en- 
gagement the  Detroit  in  engaging  the  Lawrence 
was  within  a  musquet  shot  and  within  pistol  shot  of 
the  Niagara,  the  latter  came  down  after  the  Lawr- 
ence had  struck. 

Q.     Did  you  observe  any  of  the  shots  of  the  en- 


146  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

emy's  ship  to  reach  the  British  squadron  when  the 
latters  guns  did  not  reach  them? 

A.  •  I  cannot  say  exactly  that  I  did,  being  em- 
ployed at  my  gun. 

Q.  Why  did  you  not  take  possession  of  the 
Lawrence  when  she  struck? 

A.  We  had  only  one  boat  and  that  was  cut  to 
pieces  and  the  Niagara,  another  large  brig,  being 
to  windward,  came  down  too  quickly  upon  us. 

Q.  What  do  you  atribute  the  loss  of  the  action 
principally  to? 

A.  To  the  loss  of  Captain  Finnis  and  the 
Queen's  running  up  under  our  lee  and  the  Detroits 
falling  on  board  of  them  which  permitted  the  ene- 
my's squadron  to  lay  and  rake  us  and  the  men  con- 
sequently got  into  confusion. 

Q.  Did  the  enemy's  gun  boats  do  you  much 
damage? 

A.  More  than  any  of  their  vessels,  they  had 
long  two  and  thirties. 

Q.  Did  you  understand  that  the  enemys  vessels 
were  well  manned? 

A.  Yes,  they  were  remarkably  well  manned,70 
I  believe  from  the  information  I  received  from  the 
American  officers  that  the  Lawrence  had  more  able 
seamen  on  board  than  we  had  in  our  whole  squad- 
ron, I  was  on  board  the  Lawrence  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  and  on  board  the  Niagara  two  or  three 

70  An  exaggeration.  The  British  officers  were  naturally  disposed 
to  make  out  as  good  a  case  as  possible  for  their  commander. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  147 

days,  she  appeared  to  be  very  well  manned.    They 
chiefly  manned  the  prizes  from  her. 

Q.  Was  the  Queen  Charlotte  in  a  manageable 
state  immediately  before  she  got  on  board  the  De- 
troit? 

A.  She  did  not  appear  so,  they  did  not  back  any 
of  their  sails  to  avoid  her. 

Q.    What  was  the  force  of  the  American  brig? 

A.  The  Lawrence  and  Niagara  had  each  eigh- 
teen thirty-two  pound  carronades,  and  two  long 
twelves.  The  Caledonia  two  long  twenty-four  and 
one  thirty-two  or  twenty-four  pound  carronades, 
the  Tigress  one  long  thirty-two.  I  was  not  on  board 
the  Ariel,  Summers,  Porcupine,  Scorpion  or  Trip, 
but  I  understood  they  had  all  long  thirty-two  pound 
and  one  or  two  had  carronades,  I  believe. 

Q.  Did  they  appear  to  be  manned  equal  to  the 
larger  brigs? 

A.     Yes  they  did  in  equal  Proportions. 

Ib. 

The  Detroit  had  2-24^ 

1-18 


6-12 


long  guns 


8-9J 

1-24  carronade 
1-18     do. 

The  Queen  Charlotte    3-12  long  guns 

14-24  carronade 

The  Lady  Prevost         3-  9  long  guns 

10-12  carronade 


148  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

The  Hunter  2-  61 

4-  4  [    long  guns 

2-    2.J 

2-12  carronade 
The  Little  Belt  i-  9      long  guns 

i-  6 
The  Chippeway  i-  9      long  gun71 

Captain  Barclay  asked: 

Q.  Did  I  cause  the  men  to  be  exercised  at  their 
guns  not  only  in  my  own  ship  but  in  the  rest  of  the 
squadron  to  train  them  as  much  as  possible  to  the 
use  of  the  guns? 

A .  Twice  a  day  from  the  time  he  arrived  when 
weather  permitted  from  an  hour  and  a  half  to  two 
hours  each  time  and  Captain  Barclay  came  for- 
ward and  saw  that  they  were  properly  exercised. 

Q.     Werecthey  exercised  with  powder? 

A.     Yes,  they  were  occasionally. 

Q.  Were  they  exercised  with  powder  as  often 
as  the  reduced  state  of  the  ammunition  at  Amherst- 
burg  the  only  place  from  whence  I  could  get  a  sup- 
ply would  allow? 

A.  Yes,  they  were,  but  not  to  occasion  a  waste 
of  powder. 

Q.  Did  I  exert  every  means  in  my  power  not 
only  to  render  the  Detroit  an  effective  ship  in  ev- 
ery way  as  well  as  that  of  the  other  vessels? 

A.  He  did  every  thing  that  a  brave  and  experi- 
enced officer  possibly  could  do  not  only  in  fitting 

71  These  figures  agree  with  those  of  Barclay  in  his  official  letter, 
except  in  the  case  of  the  Little  Belt.  See  Document  6. 


Koi'.KKT    Hl-RlOT    BARCLAY,    R.N. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  151 

out  the  ships,  but  in  speaking  to  and  encouraging 
the  men  when  we  came  into  action  which  appeared 
to  me  to  give  the  men  the  greatest  confidence. 

Q.  Was  I  obliged  to  take  from  the  equipments 
of  the  Queen  Charlotte  sails  and  other  articles  to 
render  the  Detroit  at  all  fit  to  take  the  lake? 

A.     Yes. 

Q.  When  I  first  saw  the  enemy  clear  of  the 
islands  did  I  bear  up  and  make  as  much  sail  as  en- 
abled the  rest  of  the  squadron  to  keep  up  with  me 
that  I  might  speedily  bring  them  into  action? 

A.     Yes. 

Q.  Did  I  in  the  disabled  state  of  the  Detroit 
when  assailed  by  a  fresh  force  display  an  undimin- 
ished  courage  and  give  every  encouragement  to 
the  crew? 

A.  You  did  everything  that  an  officer  possibly 
could  do. 

Q.  Were  the  matches  and  tubes  so  bad  that 
were  supplied  to  me  from  Amherstburg  that  I  was 
obliged  to  prime  without  the  latter  and  fire  pistols 
at  the  guns  to  set  them  off? 

A.  Yes,  we  fired  pistols  at  the  guns  to  set  them 
off  during  the  whole  of  the  action. 

Lieutenant  Stokoe  called  in  again. 
Captain  Barclay  asked : 

Q.  Did  I  cause  the  men  to  be  exercised  at  their 
guns  not  only  in  my  own  ship  but  in  the  rest  of  the 
squadron  to  train  them  as  much  as  possible  to  the 
use  of  the  guns? 

A.     Yes,  he  did,  he  gave  a  general  order  out  that 


152  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

they  should  be  exercised  twice  a  day,  an  hour  each 
time,  to  the  best  of  my  recollection -sometimes 
they  were  exercised  with  powder,  but  it  was  not 
often  they  could  be  exercised  with  powder,  as  there 
was  not  sufficient  to  do  it. 

Q.  Was  I  obliged  to  take  from  the  Queen 
Charlotte  stores  of  various  descriptions  even  to 
sails,  cables  and  anchors  as  well  as  a  proportion  of 
pistols  to  fire  the  guns  off  with,  before  I  could  make 
the  Detroit  at  all  fit  for  the  lake? 

A.     Yes,  you  were. 

Mr.  George  Peter  Martin  Young,  surgeon  of 
His  Majesty's  late  ship,  Detroit,  called  in  and 
sworn. 

The  court  asked: 

Q.  Are  the  contents  of  the  narrative  of  Captain 
Barclay  more  particularly  as  to  the  scarcity  of  pro- 
visions at  Lake  Erie  and  the  want  of  seamen  on 
board  the  squadron  correct  and  true  as  far  as  came 
within  your  knowledge  and  to  the  best  of  your  be- 
lief? 

A.     They  are. 

Q.  Were  the  killed  and  wounded  composed  in 
a  great  measure  of  the  better  seamen? 

A.  There  were  a  great  proportion  of  the  sea- 
men in  the  list  in  comparison  with  the  other  men. 

Q.  Were  many  of  the  men  you  had  from  the 
Dover  among  them? 

A.     I  cannot  recollect. 

Q.  Do  you  think  the  ships  were  defended  to 
the  last? 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  153 

A.    As  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge  they  were. 

Captain  Barclay  asked: 

Q.  Did  I  on  my  being  brought  below  from  my 
first  wound  remain  longer  than  until  I  could  crawl 
up  again? 

A.  Certainly  not- the  first  wound  was  in  the 
thigh. 

Q.  How  long  was  it  between  my  returning  to 
the  deck  and  my  being  brought  below  the  second 
time  totally  disabled? 

A.     About  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  half. 

The  court  was  cleared,  and  agreed,  that  the  cap- 
ture of  His  Majesty's  late  squadron  was  caused  by 
the  very  defective  means  Captain  Barclay  possessed 
to  equip  them  on  Lake  Erie,  the  want  of  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  able  seamen,  whom  he  had  re- 
peatedly and  earnestly  requested  to  be  sent  to  him, 
the  very  great  superiority72  of  the  force  of  the  en- 
emy to  the  British  squadron,  and  the  unfortunate 
early  fall  of  the  superior  officers  in  the  action.  That 
it  appeared  that  the  greatest  exertions  had  been 
made  by  Captain  Barclay  in  equipping  and  getting 
into  order  the  vessels  under  his  command.  That 
he  was  fully  justified  under  the  existing  circum- 
stances in  bringing  the  enemy  to  action.  That  the 
judgment  and  gallantry  of  Captain  Barclay,  in 

72  Respecting  the  superiority  of  Perry's  fleet,  see  Alfred  Thayer 
Mahan's  Sea  Power  in  Relation  to  the  War  of  l8l2t  vol.  ii,.  77-78. 
Mahan  says:  "It  is  evident  if  Perry's  plan  was  carried  out,  opposing 
vessel  to  vessel,  the  Americans  would  have  a  superiority  of  fifty  per 
cent"  Perry's  plan,  however,  was  not  carried  out,  and  the  British 
flag-ship  was  much  superior  in  long  guns  to  the  American. 


154  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

taking  his  squadron  into  action  and  during  the  con- 
test were  highly  conspicuous  and  entitled  him  to 
the  highest  praise,  and  that  the  whole  of  the  other 
officers  and  men  of  His  Majesty's  late  squadron 
conducted  themselves  in  the  most  gallant  manner. 
And  did  adjudge  the  said  Captain  Robert  Heriot 
Barclay  his  surviving  officers  and  men  to  be  most 
fully  and  most  honourably  acquitted. 

The  court  was  again  opened.  Captain  Barclay 
and  his  surviving  officers  brought  in,  audience  ad- 
mitted and  sentence  passed  accordingly. 

MR.  GREETHAM,  Depy.  Judge 
Advocate  of  the  Fleet. 


NARRATIVE    OF    THE    PROCEEDINGS    DURING 

THE  COMMAND  OF  CAPTAIN  BARCLAY 

OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  SQUADRON 

ON  LAKE  ERIE 

MR.  PRESIDENT  AND  GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  COURT  : 
On  my  arrival  at  Bermuda  in  Feby.,  1813,  Sir 
John  Borlaise  [sic]  Warren73  received  an  applica- 
tion from  Sir  George  Prevost74  to  send  some  cap- 
tains, lieutenants  and  seamen  to  man  three  corvettes 
on  Lake  Ontario. 

I  was  sent  with  Captains  Finnis  and  Pring,75  six 
lieutenants,  and  gunners  to  Halifax  for  the  pur- 
pose of  proceeding  with  as  much  expedition  as 
possible  to  Quebec  and  from  thence  to  the  Lake 
Ontario. 

On  my  arrival  at  Kingston  on  the  lake78  I  took 
command  of  the  corvette  No.  i,  then  called  the 
Wolfe,  by  appointment  from  Sir  John  B.  Warren, 
about  three  weeks  after  my  taking  the  command  I 
was  superseded  by  the  arrival  of  Sir  James  Lucas 
Yeo,  with  a  large  detachment  of  officers  and  sea- 
men from  England,  and  appointed  by  that  officer 

73  Admiral   Sir   John   Borlase   Warren,   commander-in-chief   of   the 
British  naval  forces  on  the  North  Atlantic  station. 

74  Governor-general    of    Canada    and    commander-in-chief    of    the 
British    army. 

75  Commander  Daniel   Pring.     He   commanded   the   brig  Linnet   at 
the  Battle  of  Lake  Champlain,  September  n,  1814. 

76  Lake  Ontario. 

[155] 


156 BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

to  the  superintendence  of  the  gun  boats  for  the  time 
being.  Soon  after  my  appointment  to  the  gun  boats 
it  was  judged  necessary  to  send  a  naval  establish- 
ment to  Lake  Erie  to  render  the  squadron  on  that 
lake  effective,  which  it  was  not  considered  to  be 
under  the  provincial  marine. 

This  command  was  offered  to  Captain  Mulcas- 
ter77  the  next  in  command  to  Sir  James  Yeo,  who 
to  my  personal  knowledge,  declined  it  in  conse- 
quence of  its  ineffective  state  and  Sir  James  Yeo 
refusing  to  send  seamen. 

On  Captain  Mulcaster's  declining,  I  was  or- 
dered to  proceed  to  that  lake  with  three  lieutenants, 
one  surgeon,  and  purser,  a  master's  mate,  and  nine- 
teen men,  twelve  of  these  were  Canadians,  who  had 
been  discharged  from  his  own  squadron  on  Lake 
Ontario.  The  others  were  the  most  worthless  char- 
acters that  came  from  England  with  him,  which 
can  be  proved  by  the  evidence  present,  and  were 
sent  on  board  a  small  coasting  sloop,  armed,  only 
with  a  few  muskets  to  proceed  to  York78  on  our 
way  to  Lake  Erie.  On  our  arrival  at  that  place 
from  the  bad  state  of  health  of  the  master's  mate 
(which  had  been  reported  by  me  to  Sir  James 
Yeo),  I  was  obliged  on  a  representation  of  the  sur- 
geon to  send  him  back  in  the  sloop.  From  York  I 
proceeded  with  about  two  hundred  soldiers  in  Bat- 
teaux's  to  join  General  Vincent 79  at  Fort  George 80 

77  Commander  Sir  William  Howe  Mulcaster. 

78  Near  the  western  end  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  on  the  northern  shore. 

79  Brigadier-general  John  Vincent,  commander  of  the  British  army 
on  the  Niagara  line. 

80  In  Ontario,  Canada,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  River. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  157 

which  was  the  nearest  road  to  Amherstberg 81 
where  I  was  to  take  command  of  the  naval  force 
on  Lake  Erie.  While  proceeding  to  join  General 
Vincent  I  heard  he  was  driven  from  Fort  George 
and  I  met  him  on  his  retreat.82  From  the  general 
I  learned  he  had  sent  the  Queen  Charlotte  to  Am- 
herstberg to  prevent  her  falling  into  the  enemy's 
hands  at  Fort  Erie.  No  alternative  was  now  left 
but  to  proceed  to  Amherstberg  by  land  from 
which  we  were  then  three  hundred  miles. 

On  my  way  to  that  place  I  learned  that  two  ves- 
sels were  at  Long  Point,83 1  immediately  proceeded 
there  with  the  naval  detachment  I  had  brought 
with  me  from  Lake  Ontario,  having  left  the  two 
hundred  soldiers  with  General  Vincent.  On  arriv- 
ing at  Long  Point,  I  found  the  Lady  Prevost  and 
Chippewa  schooners.  In  the  former  I  embarked 
the  men  to  proceed  to  Amherstberg,  leaving  the 
other  to  convoy  a  transport  with  flour  to  that  place, 
for  even  then  the  garrison  of  Amherstberg  was 
obliged  to  be  supplied  with  provisions  from  that 
depot.  At  Long  Point  I  addressed  a  letter  to  Sir 
James  Yeo,  detailing  my  proceedings  since  I  left 
him  and  stating  to  him  what  I  found  to  be  the  state 
of  the  two  schooners  at  Long  Point  and  what  I 
understood  to  be  the  state  of  the  remaining  force. 

I  proceeded  in  the  Lady  Prevost  intending  to 

81  British  naval  station  on  the  Detroit  River. 

82  Retreat,    on   May  zy-29,    1813,   of   General   Vincent's   army  from 
Fort  George. 

83  A  naval   station  on  the  Canadian  coast  of  Lake  Erie,  opposite 
Erie,  Pennsylvania. 


158  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

reconnoitre  the  enemies  force  in  Presque  Isle84 
which  I  could  not  accomplish  from  variable  winds ; 
and  being  anxious  to  join  the  naval  force  at  Am- 
herstberg  I  lost  no  time  in  going  to  that  place.  I 
found  on  my  arrival  there  that  the  information  I 
had  received  relative  to  the  state  of  the  naval  es- 
tablishment placed  under  my  orders  was  but  too 
true  and  I  wrote  immediately  to  Sir  James  Yeo 
requesting  a  reinforcement  of  seamen  without  loss 
of  time  and  stated  to  him  in  that  letter  the  quali- 
ties and  condition  of  the  squadron. 

As  soon  as  I  could  prepare  for  sea,  I  sailed  in 
the  Queen  Charlotte  to  reconnoitre  Presque  Isle 
with  the  additional  reason,  of  information  having 
been  just  received  that  reinforcements  for  the  en- 
emies army  under  General  Harrison  were  coming 
from  that  port  by  the  lake.  This  information 
proved  to  be  unfounded  and  I  proceeded  accord- 
ing to  my  first  intention  of  looking  into  that  port 
and  found  the  enemies  force  far  advanced,  for  the 
particulars  I  refer  the  court  to  letter,  no.  7 -in 
which  they  will  find  I  not  only  proposed  a  com- 
bined attack  on  that  place  but  still  urged  the  neces- 
sity of  being  immediately  reenforced  by  seamen  to 
prevent  the  enemy  having  the  superiority  on  the 
lake.  The  court  will  find  also  by  that  letter  that 
Sir  James  Yeo  sent  me  a  captain85  with  his  servant 
no  one  else.  And  I  beg  leave  to  state  to  the  court 
that  this  letter  called  forth  a  reprimand  from  the 

84  Erie,   Pennsylvania. 

85  Commander  Robert  A.  Finnis. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  159 

commodore  which  he  stated  as  being  much  too 
peremptory  from  a  junior  to  an  officer  so  much 
higher  in  rank.  To  give  time  for  the  arrival  of 
seamen  and  troops  for  the  above  desirable  purpose, 
I  cruised  between  Black  Rock88  and  Presque  Isle 
to  intercept  the  brig  and  schooners  which  were 
coming  from  that  place  to  join  the  enemies  force 
at  Presque  Isle ;  but  I  was  unfortunate  and  missed 
them  in  a  fog,  being  obliged  to  return  to  Long 
Point  for  provisions  and  to  receive  such  answers  to 
the  communications  as  I  had  made  to  Sir  James 
Yeo  and  General  Vincent,  After  I  had  waited  in 
vain  for  seamen  or  even  any  letter  subsequent  to 
the  arrival  of  Captain  Finnis  except  one  from 
Lieut.  Col.  Harvey,87  I  thought  it  more  pru- 
dent to  fill  His  Majestys  vessels  with  provisions 
as  well  as  a  transport  schooner  that  I  had  brought 
for  that  purpose  and  return  to  Amherstberg  to  pre- 
pare the  boats  of  various  kinds  for  our  intended 
expedition  and  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  army  in 
flour,  which  I  did,  and  found  the  Detroit  still  in  a 
very  backward  state,  not  near  ready  for  launching, 
the  materials  for  building  nearly  exhausted  and 
without  one  gleam  of  hope  that  the  prospect  could 
brighten,  except  by  an  assurance  from  General 
Vincent  that  a  force  would  be  sent  to  cooperate 
with  me  on  our  intended  attack  on  Presque  Isle, 
and  even  then  we  had  to  wait  the  arrival  of  the  small 
vessels  from  Lake  Huron  to  transport  the  necessary 

86  Near  Buffalo,  New  York. 

87  Lieutenant-colonel  John  Harvey. 


160 BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

artillery  and  troops.  When  these  vessels  did  ar- 
rive, still  under  the  impression  that  aid  would  be 
afforded  to  enable  Major  General  Proctor88  and 
myself  to  make  the  joint  attack,  every  thing  was 
prepared  even  the  artillery  embarked  when  I  was 
shewn  a  letter  from  the  deputy  adjutant  general, 
which  stated  that  no  assistance  could  be  sent  from 
the  army  under  Major  General  De  Rottenberg89 
(who  had  superceeded  General  Vincent)  which  en- 
tirely put  and  [j/c]  end  to  our  hopes  in  that  way. 
I  therefore  represented  the  case  to  Commodore 
Sir  James  Yeo;  equipped  my  squadron  as  well  as 
I  could  and  sailed  not  only  to  prevent  the  enemies 
squadron  from  coming  over  the  bar  but  to  be  near- 
er Lake  Ontario  from  whence  I  still  fondly  looked 
for  reinforcements.  On  my  arrival  at  Long  Point 
and  the  failure  of  getting  men  from  both  parties  I 
thought  my  situation  as  well  as  that  of  the  country 
so  critical  that  I  wrote  to  His  Excellency  Sir 
George  Prevost  (lest  Sir  James  Yeo  should  be  in 
the  Lake)  to  point  out  the  great  necessity  of  taking 
this  Lake  into  his  serious  consideration  as  on  it  de- 
pended the  very  existance  of  the  army  under  the 
command  of  General  Proctor,  to  which  letter  I  beg 
leave  to  refer  the  court.  Disappointed  as  I  was 
not  only  by  the  non  arrival  of  the  seamen  but  by 
the  generals  declining  to  send  troops  to  destroy 

88  Major-general   Henry   Procter,   commander   of  the   British   army 
on  the  Detroit  line. 

89  Major-general   Francis  Baron  de  Rottenburg,   president,   admin- 
istering  the   government   of   Upper   Canada.     In   July,    1813,   he   suc- 
ceeded Vincent  as  commander  of  the  British  army  on  the  Niagara  line. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  161 

Presque  Isle -I  sailed  again  to  reconnoitre  that 
place,  determined  to  attack  any  part  of  the  enemies 
force  that  might  be  over  the  bar -the  particulars 
of  which  I  again  refer  the  court  (to  the  Letter  Book 
no.  10)  which  was  sent  by  an  officer,  when  it  will 
appear  that  I  again  urged  the  absolute  necessity  of 
being  reenforced  as  I  feared  the  event  would  prove 
fatal.  To  this  important  letter  I  only  received  a 
verbal  answer  from  Sir  James  Yeo  that  he  could 
not  send  me  any  seamen.  This  I  state  in  refutation 
of  the  charge  against  me  in  which  he  says  that  I 
only  allowed  him  three  days  to  send  men  three 
hundred  miles.  I  cruized  there  still  hoping  that  I 
should  at  length  be  reenforced,  blockadeing  the 
Port  of  Presque  Isle  as  closely  as  I  could  untill  I,  one 
morning,  saw  the  whole  of  the  enemies  force  over 
the  bar  and  in  a  most  formidable  state  of  prepara- 
tion.90 I  wrote  immediately  to  Sir  James  Yeo,  let- 
ter no.  15  and  made  an  appearance  to  the  enemy 
of  returning  to  Long  Point,  but  soon  after  losing 
sight  of  them  I  bore  up  for  Amherstberg.  I  was 
happy  to  find  on  my  arrival  that  General  Proctor 
had  returned  from  the  expedition  against  Sanddus- 
ky  and  my  whole  attention  was  now  turned  on  the 
equippment  of  the  Detroit  being  fully  aware  of  the 
speedy  approach  of  the  enemys  squadron  and  the 
necessity  of  at  least  making  a  shew  to  prevent  their 
taking  advantage  of  their  superiority  and  assailing 
us  by  land  and  lake  together.  It  will  appear  by 

90  Barclay   does   not  enter   into   details   at   this   point.     He   was   at 
fault  in  failing  to  maintain  a  close  blockade  of  Perry's  fleet  at  Erie. 


162 BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

letter  no.  21  to  Sir  James  Yeo  that  my  fears  were 
realized  as  the  enemies  force  had  chaced  my  look- 
out vessel  and  by  letter  25  that  they  had  made  their 
appearance  off  Amherstberg. 

On  my  arrival  at  Amherstberg  I  sent  a  small 
schooner  to  cruize  to  the  eastward  of  the  islands  to 
apprize  me  of  the  approach  of  the  enemys  squad- 
ron and  was  soon  satisfied  that  my  apprehensions 
of  their  following  me  up  were  but  too  well  found- 
ed as  the  court  will  see  by  referring  to  my  letter  to 
the  commodore  on  the  subject.  They  did  not  ap- 
pear off  this  port  untill  the  24th  and  I  apprized  him 
of  it  again  by  my  letter,  no.  25,  bearing  date  the 
25th  August.  By  this  time  our  necessities  were  be- 
coming very  urgent  and  our  supplies  by  the  lake 
entirely  cut  off.  No  possibility  of  obtaining  an 
adequate  supply  by  land  for  the  numerous  people 
we  had  to  feed.  Every  attention  was  turned  to  the 
naval  force  which  the  country  now  looked  up  to, 
as  the  only  defence.  I  now  understood  that  about 
fifty  seamen  with  two  lieutts.  and  one  midshipman 
were  on  their  way  from  Kingston,  not  from  Com- 
modore Sir  James  Yeo,  but  from  Sir  George  Pre- 
vost  through  General  Proctor,  to  whom  I  had  pre- 
viously applied,  finding  all  applications  to  Sir 
James  Yeo  useless.  Anxiously  indeed  did  all  look 
forward  for  their  arrival,  few  as  they  were,  at 
length  on  the  5th  of  September,  they  did  arrive 
but  instead  of  fifty  far  short  of  three  hundred  the 
number  I  hoped  to  receive,  they  counted  only  thir- 
ty-six with  two  lieutts.,  one  masters  mate  and  two 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  163 

gunners  being  the  first  division  that  left  H.M. 
troopship  Dover  at  Quebec. 

When  that  division  left  Quebec  there  was  no 
idea  of  any  more  coming  and  the  letter  I  received, 
by  Lieut.  Bignal91  (  Lieut,  of  the  above  troopship) 
told  me  that  when  Sir  James  Yeo  understood  that 
the  remainder  had  come  to  Kingston  he  would  for- 
ward the  like  number  from  the  squadron.  Sir 
James  in  this  communication  seems  to  have  entirely 
disbelieved  the  many  representations  of  our  ap- 
proaching necessities,  when  he  writes  so  coolly 
about  sending  men  by  the  mode  he  proposes.  The 
remainder  of  the  Dovers  seamen  did  not  arrive  at 
Kingston  a  distance  inland  from  Amherstberg  of 
six  hundred  miles  untill  after  the  action.  The  en- 
emy were  in  superior  force  between  him  and 
Kingston  so  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  a  water 
communication  and  it  must  have  taken  at  least  six 
days  to  communicate  with  him  by  land -twelve 
more  must  have  elapsed  before  men  could  reach 
Amherstberg  and  at  most  it  was  but  a  faint  hope 
that  they  would  come  at  all. 

The  court  will  now  allow  me  to  revert  to  our 
actual  state  at  this  time.  There  were  above  four- 
teen thousand  Indians  to  victual  who  had  come 
from  distant  countries,  accustomed  to  every  indul- 
gence, and  prone  to  quarrel  and  turn  their  arms 
against  their  friends  as  well  as  foes  if  their  wants 
were  not  supplied  and  liberally  too.  To  this  num- 
ber was  to  be  added  the  whole  population  of  that 

91  Lieutenant  George  Bignell. 


164  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

part  of  the  country  and  the  regular  force  attached 
to  General  Proctor.  To  the  want  of  provisions 
must  be  added  the  other  privation,  of  every  kind 
of  military  and  naval  stores,  therefore,  it  was  to  be 
considered  that  each  succeding  day  added  to  our 
difficulties,  and  I  must  beg  the  courts  attention  to 
this  circumstance.  They  were  not  difficulties  that 
could  be  surmounted  as  will  appear  by  a  reference 
to  a  letter  from  Deputy  Corny.  General  Gilmour92 
dated  ^th  Sepr.,  1813  to  Depy.  Corny.  Genl. 
Couche93  and  also  by  his  letter  to  me  dated  Mon- 
treal, 7  June,  1814  (no.  21  ).  I  felt  the  necessity 
of  this  document  and  therefore  applied  to  him  for 
it,  having  lost  all  my  official  communications  on  the 
subject.  One  more  trial  was  made  to  remain  until 
seamen  might  arrive ;  at  least  until  we  might  have 
a  certainty  of  their  being  on  the  way,  that  failing, 
only  two  alternatives  remained  either  to  join  in  the 
retreat  of  the  army  after  ingloriously  burning  my 
vessels,  or  risk  and  [sic']  action  notwithstanding  the 
deplorable  manner  in  which  the  squadron  was 
manned  and  if  the  country  was  to  fall  it  should  not 
be  without  an  effort  on  my  part  to  prevent  it.  Un- 
der such  circumstances  what  officer  could  hesitate 
a  moment  which  measure  he  should  adopt.  I  there- 
fore instantly  decided  on  that  which  appeared  the 
most  honorable  and  determined  to  risk  everything 
rather  than  abandon  my  post  without  a  struggle, 

92  There  was  an  assistant  commissary  in  Canada  named  Richard 
Gilmore. 

93  Edward  Couche. 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  165 

and  I  was  confirmed  in  this  resolution  by  General 
Proctor's  concurrence  as  express'd  in  his  letter  of 
the  8th  Sept.  here  produced,  and  the  court  will 
perceive  by  extracts  from  letters  from  Sir  George 
Prevost  that  in  risking  an  action  at  this  critical  pe- 
riod, I  only  anticipated  the  express  orders  of  His 
Excellency  who  in  a  letter  to  General  Proctor, 
dated  the  i8th  Sept.,  sayd  "that  the  squadron  on 
Lake  Erie  being  inevitably  involved  in  the  com- 
mon fate  of  the  military  portion  on  Lake  Erie  is  to 
be  devoted  to  their  preservation  and  if  necessary 
sacrificed  to  the  last  atom  sooner  than  a  vestage  be 
left  to  swell  the  pride  of  an  arrogant  foe." 

Having  in  my  statement  endeavoured  to  point 
out  the  numerous  and  accumulating  difficulties  that 
I  laboured  under  in  conjunction  with  the  army  un- 
der Major  General  Proctor,  I  trust  I  have  demon- 
strated the  necessity  of  the  squadrons  departure 
from  Amherstberg.  It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to 
make  any  observations  on  the  result  of  the  action 
as  my  official  letter  to  Sir  James  Yeo  on  the  subject 
is  now  before  the  court,  but  I  trust  I  may  be  per- 
mitted to  make  a  few  remarks  on  Sir  James  Yeo's 
letter  and  first  on  that  paragraph  wherein  he  seems 
to  doubt  the  existance  of  any  scarcity  that  could 
justify  my  risking  an  action.  In  answer  to  which 
I  submit  that  if  the  deputy  corny,  general  of  an 
army  with  such  ample  means  as  he  had  at  his  dis- 
posal was  unable  to  procure  anything  like  an  ade- 
quate supply  for  the  troops,  can  any  one  doubt  the 
actual  scarcity?  That  it  did  exist  in  an  insurmount- 


166  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

able  degree  is  evident  from  the  commissarys  letters 
before  referred  to.  I  must  next  beg  leave  to  point 
out  the  striking  difference  between  Sir  James  Yeo's 
first  letter  to  Sir  J.  Warren  and  his  second,  written 
after  receiving  my  official  account  of  the  action,  a 
copy  of  which  letter  I  beg  leave  to  produce  no. 
[sic]  which  if  I  may  judge  from  that  circumstance 
he  must  have  felt  conscious  that  he  had  neglected 
to  send  me  reinforcements  untill  it  was  too  late. 
My  repeated  requests  to  him  for  this  assistance  may 
have  irritated  him  and  to  save  himself  from  censure 
he  has  endeavoured  to  through  obliquay  [sic'] 
on  me.  His  observation  "that  I  appeared  to  have 
sailed  under  the  conviction  that  I  had  everything 
to  gain  and  but  little  to  lose"  altho  most  true  in  the 
first  part  in  one  sense  is  evidently  meant  from  the 
general  tenor  of  the  letter  to  bear  another  construc- 
tion. I  certainly  had  much  to  gain,  no  less  than 
rescuing  the  squadron  under  my  orders  from  im- 
pending distructions,  saving  General  Proctors  di- 
vision of  the  army  and  preventing  the  fall  of  a 
country  of  immense  extent  and  consequence  to  His 
Majesty's  dominions  in  North  America,  and  these 
were  the  only  considerations  that  influenced  my 
conduct.  That  I  had  little  to  lose  I  never  can  ad- 
mit as  I  had  not  only  my  own  character  as  an  offi- 
cer to  support  but  also  to  uphold  the  honor  of  the 
British  navy  which  on  this  occasion  I  felt  was 
committed  to  my  charge  and  had  I  not  risked  and 
[sic]  action  the  whole  disgrace  of  the  retreat  of  the 
army  would  have  attached  to  me,  and  I  should 


COURT-MARTIAL  OF  BARCLAY  167 

have  been  justly  involved  in  the  shocking  imputa- 
tion of  cowardice.  And  what  did  Sir  James  Yeo 
give  me  to  enable  me  to  gain  so  great  an  object? 
In  the  first  place  nineteen  of  the  worst  men  of  his 
squadron  which  I  took  with  me  on  assuming  the 
command,  subsequently  allowing  thirty-six  men 
with  two  lieuts.,  one  masters  mate  and  two  gunners 
whom  I  had  procured  by  urgent  solicitation  to  Sir 
Geo.  Prevost  to  pass  him  to  join  me  at  so  late  a  pe- 
riod that  even  this  trivial  reinforcement  only 
reached  me  three  days  previous  to  the  action. 

The  letters  before  the  court  wherein  I  so  repeat- 
edly urged  the  necessity  of  a  body  [of]  seamen 
even  from  the  moment  of  my  assuming  the  com- 
mand will  I  trust  sufficiently  refute  the  insinuation 
of  Sir  James  Yeo  that  I  only  allowed  three  days 
for  their  arrival.  I  now  beg  leave  to  refer  the 
court  to  a  letter  from  General  Proctor,  no.  20, 
wherein  he  states  the  absolute  necessity  of  my  sail- 
ing and  likewise  to  the  general  orders  of  the  com- 
mander of  the  forces  in  America  dated  the  24 
Novr.,  1813,  wherein  His  Excellency  is  pleased  to 
say  that  Captain  Barclay  and  his  brave  crew  have 
by  their  gallant  daring  and  self  devotion  to  their 
country's  cause  preserved  its  honor  and  their  own 
even  in  defeat.  Situated  as  I  now  am  and  however 
unwilling  I  should  be  under  less  imperious  cir- 
cumstances to  obtrude  my  former  services  on  this 
court,  I  feel  it  a  duty  incumbent  on  me  on  this  oc- 
casion to  state  that  I  have  been  sixteen  years  ac- 
tually employed  in  His  Majesty's  service,  have 


168  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

been  very  frequently  engaged  with  the  enemy,  and 
have  been  wounded  eight  times.  I  have  thus  en- 
deavoured to  state  to  the  court  the  whole  of  the 
leading  circumstances  connected  with  this  case  and 
in  the  unavoidable  absence  of  living  witnesses,  I 
have  been  compelled  to  have  resource  to  authenti- 
cated documents  of  official  correspondence  which 
I  trust  will  be  sufficient  to  shew  that  necessity  alone 
forced  me  to  seek  so  unequal  a  combat.  And  al- 
though unsuccessful,  I  indulge  the  hope  that  the 
decision  of  this  court  will  rescue  my  character 
from  the  imputation  of  rashness,  and  will  be  hon- 
orable to  myself,  and  to  the  brave  officers  and  crew 
under  my  command. 

R[OBERT]   H[ERIOT]   BARCLAY 


XIX 

COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  CAPTAIN 
JESSE  DUNCAN  ELLIOTT 

From  the  original  manuscript  in  the  office  of  the 
judge  advocate  general,  United  States  Navy  Depart- 
ment, Washington.  In  copying  this  document  it  has 
not  always  been  possible  to  distinguish  between  peri- 
ods, commas,  and  dashes. 


1 9.     COURT    OF    ENQUIRY    ON    CAPTAIN 
JESSE  DUNCAN  ELLIOTT,  APRIL,  1815 

U.S.  SLOOP  ONTARIO94 
New  York,  i6th  April,  1815 

SIR:  In  a  conversation  with  some  of  the  officers 
of  the  service  I  am  informed  that  in  consequence 
of  an  opinion  formed  by  a  court  of  inquiry  on  the 
loss  of  the  British  fleet  on  Lake  Erie  on  the  loth 
Septr.,  1813,  my  vessel,  the  Niagara,  is  reflected  on 
by  some  who  are  inimical  to  our  service.  I  wish  it 
understood  that  early  after  the  action  I  applied  to 
the  Navy  Dept.  for  an  investigation  into  the  facts  of 
the  action.  It  was  not  granted.  Justice  to  myself, 
friends,  and  the  service  I  have  the  honor  to  belong 
to,  compels  me  to  ask  that  the  court  at  present  in- 
quiring into  the  losses  of  President,  Frolic,  and 
Rattlesnake,95  may  be  instructed  to  inform  the 
country  of  the  part  I  bore  in  action  of  the  loth 
Septr.,  1813,  and  whether  or  not  did  the  Niagara 
attempt  to  make  her  escape  from  the  enemy  (as  is 
stated  by  the  British  Court).96  A  large  number  of 

9*  The  Ontario  was  commanded  by  Elliott  and  belonged  to  a 
squadron  under  Commodore  Stephen  Decatur,  which  was  at  New 
York  preparing  to  sail  for  the  Mediterranean. 

95  Three  American  ships  of  war  which  had  been  captured  by  the 
enemy,   and  whose  loss  was  being  investigated  by  a  naval  court. 

96  In  a  summary  of  the  evidence  given  before  the  Barclay  court- 
martial,  published  in  the  Naval  Chronicle   (London),  vol.  xxxii,  242, 

[171] 


172  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

the  officers  that  were  on  board  the  fleet  are  at  pres- 
ent in  this  squadron,  the  investigation  will  require 
but  a  day  or  two,  and  I  presume  will  not  delay  the 
sailing  of  the  squadron. 

With  great  respect,  I  have  the  honor  to  be 

your  obt.  servt. 

Signed:  J[ESSE]  D[UNCAN]  ELLIOTT 
The  Honorable  B.  W.  Crowninshield.97 

I  certify  this  to  be  a  true  copy  of  the  original. 

WM.  H.  CAMPBELL 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT  [Washington,  D.C.], 

April  20,  1815. 

SIR:  The  court  of  enquiry,  now  setting  at  New 
York,  is  ordered  to  proceed,  immediately,  to  the 
investigation  requested  by  your  letter  of  the  i6th 
instant. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  ob.  servt. 

B.  W.  CROWNINSHIELD 
Capt.  Jesse  D.  Elliott,  Sloop  Ontario,  New  York. 


the  statement  is  made  that  Perry  was  obliged  to  leave  his  flag-ship 
and  hoist  his  flag  on  board  another  vessel,  "which  had  not  been  en- 
gaged, and  was  making  away."  The  minutes  of  the  court,  however, 
did  not  thus  reflect  on  the  conduct  of  the  Niagara.  See  Document  18. 
The  Elliott  court  seems  to  have  confined  itself  to  the  disproving  of 
the  assertion  made  by  the  British  periodical.  It  examined  seven  junior 
officers,  two  of  the  Lawrence  and  five  of  the  Niagara.  The  com- 
manders of  these  vessels  did  not  testify. 

97  Crowninshield  was  secretary  of  the  navy  from  December  19, 
1814,  until  September  30,  1818.  He  was  a  member  of  the  distin- 
guished Massachusetts  family  of  that  name,  and  represented  the 
Salem  district  in  Congress  from  1823  to  1831. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        173 

Minutes  of  a  Court  of  Enquiry  held  on  board 
the  United  States  sloop  of  war  Ontario  in  the  har- 
bour of  New  York  in  pursuance  of  the  following 
orders : 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT  [Washington,  D.C.], 

April  20th,  1815. 

SIR:  It  has  been  stated  to  this  department,  that, 
by  the  proceedings  of  a  court  of  enquiry  in  Great 
Britain,  ordered  to  investigate  the  causes  of  the 
loss  of  the  British  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  on  the  loth  of 
September,  1813,  the  conduct  of  Captain  Jesse  D. 
Elliott,  of  the  U.S.  navy,  who  commanded  the  brig 
Niagara  on  that  day,  is  misrepresented.  Justice 
to  the  reputation  of  Capt.  Elliott  and  to  the  navy 
of  the  U.  States  requires  that  a  true  statement  of 
the  facts  in  relation  to  his  conduct,  on  that  occasion, 
be  exhibited  to  the  world.  The  court,  therefore, 
of  which  you  are  president,  will  immediately  pro- 
ceed to  enquire  into  the  same,  to  ascertain  the  part 
he  sustained  in  the  action  of  that  day,  and  report 
its  opinion  thereon  to  this  department. 

I  am,  respectfully,  yr.  obt.  servant, 

B.  W.  CROWNINSHIELD 
Com.  Alexander  Murray,98  New  York. 


98  Murray  was  the  senior  officer  of  the  navy,  and  was  president 
of  the  court. 


174  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

APRIL  24TH,  1815. 
The  Court  met.  Present - 

Com.  Murray,  President 

Captain  Evans,"  Lieut  Comt.  Rodgers,100  Mem- 
bers. 

Henry  Wheaton,101  Esquire,  Judge  Advocate. 

The  court  being  duly  sworn  (together  with  the 
judge  advocate)  proceeded  to  enquire  into  the 
facts  relative  to  the  conduct  of  Captain  Elliott  in 
the  action  of  the  ibth  September,  1813,  on  Lake 
Erie. 

The  annexed  papers  marked  A.  and  B.  were 
read.102 

Lt.  Nelson  Webster,  late  sailing  master  of  the 
Niagara,  was  sworn. 

Q.  by  the  Court.  Having  seen  and  read  Capt. 
Perry's  official  account  of  the  action  of  the  loth 
September,  1813,  on  Lake  Erie,  please  to  state 
whether  it  contains  a  correct  statement  of  facts? 

A.     I  believe  it  does. 

Q.  by  the  judge  advocate.  What  further  do  you 
know  respecting  the  subject  matter  of  this  enquiry? 

A.     Just  at  daylight,  on  the  loth  of  Sept.,  1813, 

99  Captain  Samuel  Evans. 

100  Lieutenant    George   Washington    Rodgers,    a    brother    of   Com- 
modore John  Rodgers. 

101  Wheaton,  who  is  now  remembered  as  a  diplomat  and  a  writer 
of  legal  books,  was  at  this  time  a  New  York  lawyer  and  the  editor 
of  the  National  Advocate,  an   administration  organ. 

102  «A"  is  an  extract  from  a  "London  Paper,"  the  same  as  that  pub- 
lished in  the  British  Naval  Chronicle,  vol.  xxxii,  242.     See  note  115. 
"B"  is  a  copy  of  Perry's  official  letter  describing  the  battle.     See  Docu- 
ment 7. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        175 

we  were  in  Put-in  Bay,  and  discovered  the  enemy's 
fleet.  A  signal  was  made  by  Capt.  Perry,  and  we 
immediately  got  under  way,  and  beat  out  of  the 
bay -the  wind  ahead.  After  we  got  out,  the  wind 
being  light,  it  shifted,  which  gave  us  the  weather 
gage.  We  made  sail  in  pursuit,  and  a  signal  was 
made  for  each  vessel  to  take  its  station.  The  Lawr- 
ence led  the  van,  the  Caledonia  next,  and  then  the 
Niagara,  in  close  order.  The  smaller  vessels  were 
astern.  The  enemy  commenced  his  fire  upon  the 
headmost  vessel  at  fifteen  minutes  before  noon, 
which  the  Lawrence  returned  at  about  noon,  at  the 
distance  of  one  mile  and  a  half  from  the  enemy. 
Capt.  Elliott  directed  me  to  commence  from  my 
division  with  a  long  12.  Soon  after,  we  fired  one 
or  two  broadsides  from  the  carronades.  Capt.  El- 
liott directed  us  to  cease  firing  the  carronades,  as 
the  shot  fell  short,  and  to  continue  firing  the  long 
guns.  The  enemy  were  principally  directing  their 
fire,  at  this  moment,  against  the  Lawrence.  We 
were  using  every  exertion  to  get  down.  The  wind 
was  light.  It  was  at  half  past  twelve  that  we  com- 
menced firing  our  carronades  at  long  gun  shot  dis- 
tance, and  we,  being  to  windward,  were  continual- 
ly nearing  the  enemy.  We  continued  the  action, 
with  light  winds,  continually  bearing  down  in  our 
station,  until  about  two  o'clock,  when  the  Lawr- 
ence was  disabled.  Previous  to  that,  Captain  El- 
liott directed  the  Caledonia  to  bear  up  and  give 
him  room  to  close  with  the  Lawrence.  The  Cale- 
donia dropped  to  leeward  of  us,  and  the  Lawrence 


176 BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

dropped  out  of  the  line,  nearly  at  one  and  the  same 
time.  The  wind  sprung  up,  and  Capt  Elliott  made 
sail  to  close  with  their  headmost  ship.  After  we 
got  into  close  action,  I  was  knocked  down,  and 
carried  below.  When  I  came  on  deck  again,  found 
Capt.  Perry  on  board.  Capt.  Elliott  was  in  the 
gun  boats,  and  the  action  still  continuing.  In 
about  twenty-five  minutes  afterwards  the  enemy 
struck. 

Q.  by  the  court.  What  was  the  force  of  our 
squadron,  as  to  size  of  vessels,  description,  number 
of  guns  and  men. 

A .  It  consisted  of  the  brig  Lawrence  of  20  guns, 
eighteen  32  pound  carronades  and  two  long  i2's, 
the  brig  Niagara  of  20  guns  of  the  same  descrip- 
tion and  about  150  men,  of  which  not  more  than 
1 20  were  fit  for  duty.  She  was  not  well  manned, 
as  she  had  25  militiamen  and  about  30  soldiers,  and 
a  great  number  of  blacks,  only  one  of  whom  was  a 
seaman.  The  brig  Caledonia  of  3  guns,  long  125 
or  1 8s.  The  schooner  Sommers  of  2  guns,  schooner 
Ariel  of  3  guns,  one  of  which  burst  in  the  action. 
I  do  not  remember  the  Scorpion's  force.  The 
schooner  Tygress  of  one  gun,  a  long  32  pounder. 
The  Porcupine  and  Tripp,  same.  I  did  not  con- 
sider the  vessels  so  well  manned  as  our  vessels  gen- 
erally are  on  the  ocean. 

Q.    What  was  the  enemy's  force? 

A.  In  close  action,  they  were  not  superior  to  us 
in  my  opinion,  but  from  the  lightness  of  the  wind, 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        177 

the  situation  of  the  fleets,  and  the  enemy  having 
long  guns,  I  considered  them  superior. 

Q.  Did  the  enemy's  vessels  appear  to  be  as  bad- 
ly manned  as  represented  to  the  British  court  mar- 
tial before  whom  Capt.  Barclay  was  tried? 

A.  The  statement  given  before  that  court  I 
consider  to  be  false.  I  infer  it  from  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Detroit  after  the  action.  I  saw  sixty 
wounded  men  on  board  her  which  I  believe  to  have 
been  seamen.  I  believe  the  enemy  had  more  than 
the  number  of  British  seamen  stated. 

Q.  What  command  had  Captain  Elliott  in  the 
action? 

A.     He  had  command  of  the  Niagara. 

Q.  Did  he  do  all  in  his  power  to  gain  a  nearer 
position?  and  when  Capt.  Perry  went  on  board 
of  the  Niagara,  did  you  see  any  thing  in  Capt.  El- 
liott's conduct  that  indicated  an  intention  on  his 
part  to  make  sail  from  the  enemy? 

A.  He  did  all  in  his  power  to  gain  a  nearer  po- 
sition. I  never  observed  any  intention  on  his  part 
to  make  sail  from  the  enemy,  on  the  contrary,  I 
noted  in  him  a  disposition  to  get  into  as  close  ac- 
tion as  possible. 

Q.  Do  you  believe  that  Capt.  Elliott  did  every 
thing  that  a  brave  and  meritorious  officer  should 
have  done,  in  the  action? 

A.     Yes. 

Q.  Have  you  heard  any  officer  make  any  re- 
marks derogatory  to  his  character  or  conduct  on 
the  loth  of  September. 

A.    No. 


178  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Q.  by  Captain  Elliott.  Did  the  Niagara  at  any 
time,  during  the  action,  attempt  to  make  off  from 
the  British  fleet? 

A.    No. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Niagara  when  the  firing  commenced  from 
the  enemy? 

A.  There  was  the  intervening  space  of  the  Cal- 
edonia, the  three  vessels  being  in  close  order. 

Q.  What  was  the  situation  of  both  fleets  when 
the  action  commenced  on  our  part?  at  what  time 
did  I  order  the  Caledonia  out  of  the  line?  and 
how  soon  after  did  I  place  my  vessel  ahead  of  the 
Lawrence?  and  what  appeared  to  be  the  situation 
of  the  British  fleet? 

A.  We  were  in  line  ahead,  endeavouring  to  get 
down  upon  the  enemy  as  fast  as  possible,  abaft  the 
enemy's,beam  with  the  wind  nearly  abeam.  It  was 
a  little  after  the  middle  of  the  action  that  the  Cale- 
donia was  ordered  out  of  the  line.  The  Lawrence 
was  dropping  astern,  and  we  shooting  ahead.  We 
had  got  into  pretty  close  action  before  I  went  be- 
low. The  British  fleet  was  in  close  order,  and  I 
think  had  no  spars  shot  away. 

Q.  Was  not  my  helm  up,  and  the  Niagara 
standing  direct  for  the  enemy's  fleet  when  Capt 
Perry  came  on  board? 

A.     I  was  below,  and  cannot  say. 

Q.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  gun  boats 
when  I  left  the  Niagara,  and  how  were  they  dis- 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        179 

posed  of  when  I  reached  the  head  of  the  enemy's 
line  with  them? 

A.  Just  before  I  went  below,  they  were  a  long 
way  astern.  When  I  came  on  deck,  I  observed  the 
gun  boat  Capt.  Elliott  was  in  had  got  nearly  to  the 
head  of  the  enemy's  line,  and  he  was  in  very  close 
action  directing  the  fire  of  the  boats  at  the  enemy's 
ships. 

Q.  How  did  the  Lawrence  bear  of  the  Niagara 
when  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board,  and  what  dis- 
tance was  she  from  the  Niagara? 

A.  I  was  not  on  deck,  and  before  I  went  below, 
the  Lawrence  was  rather  on  our  leeward  quarter. 

Lieut.  Yarnell,103  late  ist  Lt.  of  the  Lawrence    A 
was  sworn. 

Q.  Does  Capt.  Perry's  official  account  of  the 
action  of  the  loth  September  contain  a  correct 
statement  of  facts? 

A.  I  think  generally  as  to  what  I  could  see  it  is 
correct -except  as*o  the  statement  in  page  2d,  line 
1 2th  [page  80,  line  15],  of  the  Niagara  being 
brought  into  close  action.  I  believe  the  Niagara 
was  three  quarters  of  a  mile  astern  of  the  Law- 
rence, and  when  she  passed  us  to  windward,  at  the 
time  Com.  Perry  took  possession  of  her,  she  was 
half  a  mile  off  on  our  weather  bow.  This  was 
about  two  hours  and  forty-eight  minutes  after  the 
action  commenced.  I  expressed  my  surprize  to 
Capt.  Perry  on  observing  the  Niagara  in  that  sit- 

103  Lieutenant  John  J.  Yarnall,  who  was  lost  on  board  the  Eper- 
vier  in  1815. 


i8o  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

uation,  and  after  the  Lawrence  was  disabled  he  left 
her  in  my  possession  and  went  on  board  the  Niagara. 

Q.  What  further  do  you  know  relative  to  the 
subject  of  this  enquiry? 

A.  In  the  morning  of  the  loth  Sept.,  we  dis- 
covered the  enemy's  squadron  and  got  under  way- 
stood  out  past  the  islands.  The  wind  veered,  and 
became  favourable  soon  after  we  passed  one  of  the 
islands.  Within  about  three  miles  of  the  enemy, 
Capt.  Elliott  in  the  Niagara  bore  down  and 
spoke  Capt.  Perry.  Capt.  Elliott  fell  into  line 
next  to  the  Caledonia.  The  Detroit  commenced 
the  action  by  firing  a  long  24  pounder.  Capt. 
Perry  directed  me  to  hail  the  Scorpion,  for  the 
purpose  of  engaging  the  enemy,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  commence  our  fire  with  a  12  pounder 
on  the  forecastle.  A  few  minutes  afterwards,  we 
commenced  a  fire  with  the  carronades.  It  hav- 
ing been  enquired  of  me  whether  they  told  or 
not,  and  I  answering  in  the  negative,  Capt.  Perry 
ordered  the  helm  to  be  put  up  and  bore  down 
upon  the  enemy.  The  Caledonia  and  Scorpion  en- 
gaged. We  run  down  and  came  within  about  half 
musket  shot,  exposed  to  the  whole  of  the  enemy's 
fire  at  first  and  afterwards  to  that  of  four  of  his 
vessels,  the  Chippewa,  Detroit,  Hunter,  and  Queen 
Charlotte.  We  lay  opposite  the  Hunter,  and  the 
Queen  Charlotte  was  astern  of  the  Hunter.  Our 
first  division  was  fought  against  the  Detroit,  the 
second  against  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  occasion- 
ally guns  at  the  Hunter.  At  several  periods  during 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        181 

the  contest,  I  expressed  my  surprise  that  the  Nia- 
gara was  not  brought  into  close  action.  The  crew 
also  expressed  their  surprise,  but  were  encouraged 
by  the  officers  to  fight  on  till  she  should  come  down 
and  take  a  part  with  us.  I  observed  the  Niagara 
firing  a  distant  fire  (I  suppose  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  off)  at  the  enemy's  smaller  vessels,  the  Lady 
Prevost  and  others.  It  was  two  hours  and  forty- 
eight  minutes  after  the  action  commenced  that 
Com.  Perry  said  to  me,  "I  leave  you  to  surrender 
the  vessel  to  the  enemy."  At  this  time  we  could 
not  fight  a  single  gun.  He  left  us.  After  he  got  in 
the  boat,  he  observed  that  he  would  leave  it  dis- 
cretionary with  me,  either  to  surrender  or  receive 
the  enemy's  fire.  I  called  on  Mr.  Taylor104  and 
Mr  Forrest,105  who  were  on  deck,  to  know  their 
opinion.  They  told  me  it  was  useless  to  sacrifice 
any  more  men,  as  we  were  unable  to  sustain  the 
action  any  longer.  The  colours  were  consequently 
struck.  Immediately  on  Capt.  Perry's  arrival  on 
board  the  Niagara,  he  made  sail  and  bore  down- 
broke  the  enemy's  line,  and  the  action  was  decided 
in  about  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  except  as  to  two 
of  the  enemy's  vessels,  which  attempted  to  escape, 
but  were  pursued. 

Q.     What  was  the  force  of  our  squadron? 

A.  The  Lawrence  and  Niagara  of  20  guns 
each,  eighteen  32  pd  carronades,  and  two  long  ia's. 

104  Sailing-master   William   V.    Taylor.     He   became    a   captain    in 
1841. 

105  Acting   Lieutenant   Dulaney   Forrest.     He   died    a    lieutenant   in 
1825. 


1 82  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

The  Caledonia  had  two  or  three  guns  on  circles. 
The  Ariel  had  3,  the  Scorpion  2  guns -one  a  12, 
and  the  other  an  18  or  24  pounder.  The  rest 
one  gun  each.  The  Lawrence  had  131  men  and 
boys,  of  every  description,  of  which  103  were  fit 
for  duty.  The  squadron  had  but  few  seamen.  We 
had  about  30  marines  and  some  militia  men. 

Q.  What  command  had  Capt.  Elliott  in  the 
action? 

A.     He  commanded  the  Niagara. 

Q.  How  near  was  he  to  the  enemy  when  the 
action  commenced? 

A.     About  a  mile  and  a  half,  or  two  miles. 

Q.  Do  you  believe  Capt.  Elliott  did  every  thing 
a  brave  and  meritorious  officer  should  have  done, 
in  the  action? 

A.  I  am  under  the  belief  that  the  Niagara  could 
have  been  brought  into  closer  action.  The  same 
wind  which  would  bring  the  Lawrence  into  action 
would  likewise  bring  the  Niagara  into  action.  The 
main  top  sail  of  the  Lawrence  was  laying  to  the 
mast,  foresail  hauled  up,  and  top  gallant  sail 
furled.  I  think  the  Niagara  had  her  main  top  sail 
also  to  the  mast- that  is,  while  she  was  astern. 

Q.  by  Captain  Elliott.  Did  the  Niagara  at  any 
time  during  the  action  attempt  to  make  off  from 
the  British  fleet? 

A.     No. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Niagara,  when  the  firing  commenced  from 
the  enemy? 

A.     A  quarter  of  a  mile. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        183 

Q.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  gun  boats 
when  I  left  the  Niagara,  and  how  were  they  dis- 
posed of  when  I  reached  the  head  of  the  enemy's 
line  with  them? 

A .  The  gun  boats,  generally  were  astern  and  to 
windward.  I  saw  Capt.  Elliott  on  board  one  of 
them,  and  they  were  coming  into  action.  They 
were  very  much  scattered,  but  all  bearing  down  in- 
to action. 

0.  What  was  the  established  order  of  battle, 
and  is  the  sketch,106  now  shewn  you,  a  correct  one? 

A.     The  sketch  is  correct 

Q.  What  were  the  observations  of  Lieuts.  Tur- 
ner107 and  Holdup,108  when  speaking  to  you  of  the 
action? 

A.  They  expressed  their  dissaprobation  and 
surprise  that  the  Niagara  was  not  brought  into 
action. 

Q.  When  I  was  passing  the  Lawrence  in  the 
boat,  did  you  not  come  to  the  gangway,  and  ask  me 
to  bring  the  boat  along  side,  as  you  were  sinking? 

A.     No! 

Q.  Did  you  not,  on  the  return  of  the  fleet  to 
Erie,  discovering  that  there  was  an  altercation  be- 
tween Captains  Perry  and  Elliott,  meet  Midship- 
man Page 109  on  the  beach,  and  say  to  him  that  there 

106  A  copy  of  this  sketch  will  be  found  in  R.  Jarvis's  Biographical 
Notice  of  Com.  Jesse  Duncan  Elliott,  446. 

107  Lieutenant  Daniel   Turner,   commander   of  the   Caledonia.     He 
became  a  captain  in  1835. 

108  Lieutenant    Thomas     Holdup     (Stevens),    commander    of    the 
Trippe.     He  was  promoted  to  a  captaincy  in  1836. 

109  Midshipman  Hugh  N.  Page,  of  the  Tigress.     He  became  a  cap- 
tain in   1850. 


184  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

was  the  deuce  to  pay  about  the  action,  but  that  as 
to  your  part,  you  had  always  given  each  of  those 
officers  an  equal  share  of  credit? 

A.  No -I  do  not  recollect  having  any  conver- 
sation with  the  young  gentleman  alluded  to. 

Q.  How  was  the  wind  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end  of  the  action? 

A.  I  do  not  precisely  recollect.  I  suppose  a 
vessel  might  go  two  knots. 

Q.  by  the  court.  In  the  general  surprize  which 
you  state  was  expressed  that  the  Niagara  did  not 
close  faster  into  action,  did  you  make  any  allow- 
ance for  the  lightness  of  the  wind? 

A.  In  my  former  answers  I  have  made  allow- 
ances for  the  wind  and  the  existing  state  of  things. 

Q.  Was  there  any  difference  in  the  force  of  the 
wind  from  the  commencement  of  the  action  until 
the  time  when  Captain  Perry  came  on  board  the 
Niagara? 

A.  The  wind  freshened.  About  the  time  he 
left  the  Lawrence  there  was  more  wind  than  there 
had  been. 

The  court  adjourned  to  to-morrow  morning  at 
half  past  nine  o'clock. 

APRIL  25111,  1815. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment.     Present: 
Commodore  Murray,  President] 
Captain  Evans,  Lieut.  Comt.  Rodgers,  Members] 
The  Judge  Advocate. 
Lieut.  Webster  was  reexamined. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        185 

Q.  by  the  judge  advocate.  When  was  it  that 
Capt.  Elliott  bore  down  to  speak  Capt.  Perry?  and 
what  passed? 

A.  At  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Capt. 
Elliott  called  all  hands  aft,  and  requested  Com. 
Perry  to  shew  his  boys  his  flag,  when  Com.  Perry 
hoisted  a  flag  with  the  motto  on  it  of  Don't  give  up 
the  ship.  Capt.  Elliott  told  his  crew  to  read  it,  and 
explained  to  them  what  was  on  the  flag,  and  told 
them  to  swear  within  themselves  that  this  flag 
should  never  come  down,  observing  that  these  were 
the  dying  words  of  Lawrence. 

Q.     What  was  the  established  order  of  battle? 

A.  The  original  order  of  sailing  was  for  the 
Niagara  to  lead  the  van.  I  afterwards  learned 
that,  in  consequence  of  the  enemy's  forming  dif- 
ferently from  what  was  expected,  we  changed  our 
order  of  battle,  which  brought  us  into  the  situation 
I  stated  yesterday. 

Q.     When  was  this  change  made,  and  how? 

A.  The  signal  which  I  saw  was  made  after  the 
commodore's  flag  (above  mentioned)  was  hoisted, 
I  think.  This  was  the  first  forming  of  the  line. 

Q.  Is  the  sketch  now  shewn  you  a  correct  view 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  line  was  formed? 

A.     It  is. 

Q.  by  Capt.  Elliott.  How  far  was  the  Cale- 
donia from  the  Niagara,  from  the  commencement 
of  the  enemy's  fire  until  I  ordered  her  out  of  the 
line? 

A.     She  was  as  close  as  she  could  be  with  safety, 


186  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

and  I  recollect  once  backing  the  topsail  to  prevent 
running  into  her. 

Q.  by  the  court.  How  long  time  elapsed  be- 
tween the  Lawrence  commencing  the  action  and 
the  Niagara's  engaging? 

A.     I  should  say  ten  minutes. 

Q.  by  Capt.  Elliott.  What  was  the  distance 
from  the  Lawrence  to  the  Niagara  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action  until  I  ordered  the  Cale- 
donia out  of  the  line?  and  did  not  the  enemy's 
shot  take  effect  in  a  few  minutes  after  the  firing 
began,  upon  the  Niagara's  spars  and  rigging. 

A.  At  no  time  during  that  period  were  they 
more  than  two  hundred  yards  apart.  The  enemy's 
shot  took  effect  very  soon,  and  shot  away  one  of  the 
fore  top  mast  back  stays. 

Q.  Did  not  the  enemy's  fire  appear  to  be  direc- 
ted at  the  Niagara's  spars  and  rigging? 

A.     I  think  it  was. 

Q.  What  distance  was  I  from  the  Lawrence 
when  I  passed  her  gaining  the  head  of  the  line? 

A.  It  did  not,  in  my  opinion,  exceed  thirty 
yards. 

Q.  Just  before  you  were  wounded  what  was 
the  relative  position  of  the  Lawrence  and  the  Nia- 
gara? 

A.  The  Lawrence  was  a  little  on  our  larboard 
or  weather  quarter.  This  placed  us  nearer  the  en- 
emy than  the  Lawrence. 

Q.  What  damage  did  the  Niagara  sustain  in 
the  action? 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        187 

A.  Our  main  stay,  fore  top  mast  back  stays,  a 
great  deal  of  running  rigging,  and  two  shrouds  of 
our  fore  rigging,  were  shot  away.  Some  of  our 
spars  were  wounded.  There  were  two  men  killed 
from  my  division,  before  I  went  below,  and  a  num- 
ber of  men  wounded  on  board. 

Q.  Was  the  Niagara,  at  any  time  during  the 
action,  from  half  to  three  quarters  of  a  mile  on  the 
weather  bow  of  the  Lawrence  after  I  ordered  the 
Caledonia  out  of  the  line? 

A.  She  was  not.  I  wish,  also  to  correct  my  evi- 
dence of  yesterday  (page  3  [i.e.  page  180])  by 
adding  that  the  Ariel  and  the  Scorpion  were  on 
the  weather  bow  of  the  Lawrence. 

Q,  Did  you  observe  the  enemy's  ship  Queen 
Charlotte  bear  up  and  run  away  from  the  Niagara? 
and  if  so,  when? 

A.  She  did  bear  up  from  the  Niagara's  fire,  in 
about  half  an  hour  after  the  Niagara  commenced 
firing. 

Mr.  Montgomery,110  midshipman  late  of  the 
Niagara  was  sworn. 

Q.     Where  was  your  station  on  board? 

A.  In  the  first  division,  commanded  by  Lieut. 
Edwards.111 

Q.  Does  Captain  Perry's  official  letter  contain 
a  correct  statement  of  facts  as  you  know  or  believe? 

A.    Yes. 

110  Midshipman    John    B.    Montgomery.     He    was    promoted   to   be 
captain  in  1853. 

111  Lieutenant   John   J.   Edwards.     He   died   of   fever,    at   Erie   in 
January,  1814. 


1 88  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Q.  State  what  you  know  relative  to  the  matter 
of  this  enquiry? 

A.  In  the  commencement  of  the  action  the  Ni- 
agara took  a  position  astern  of  the  Caledonia  in 
close  line,  agreeably  to  a  signal  made  by  Com.  Per- 
ry. Capt.  Elliott,  observing  that  the  enemy  fired 
principally  at  the  Lawrence,  ordered  Mr.  Turner 
to  keep  away,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  support  the 
commodore  by  taking  a  position  astern  of  the 
Lawrence.  The  Caledonia  took  her  station  astern 
of  the  Niagara,  and  continued  there  during  the  ac- 
tion. The  lightness  of  the  wind  prevented  our  get- 
ting as  close  to  the  Lawrence  as  it  was  supposed, 
we  intended.  Capt.  Elliott,  observing  that  the  car- 
ronade  shot  fell  short,  ordered  them  to'fire  from 
the  long  gun  only.  When  the  Lawrence  was  dis- 
abled, a  breeze  sprung  up;  we  passed  her  in  com- 
pany with  the  Caledonia,  to  windward,  at  about 
twenty-five  yards  distance.  The  Caledonia  was 
then  astern  of  us.  We  took  a  position  which 
brought  the  Lawrence  nearly  astern  of  us  on  the 
lee  quarter.  Captain  Elliott  ordered  us  to  make 
sail,  and  we  had  boarded  the  fore  tack  and  were  in 
the  act  of  setting  top  gallant  sails,  before  Capt. 
Perry  came  on  board.  I  observed  him  come  over 
the  weather  gangway  of  the  Lawrence,  get  into  a 
boat,  and  pass  under  the  Niagara's  stern.  I  went 
aft,  and  reported  it  to  Capt.  Elliott  who  was  then 
standing  on  the  taffel.  Capt.  Elliott  met  Com. 
Perry  at  the  weather  gangway,  and  shook  hands 
with  him.  Some  conversation  passed  which  I  did 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        189 

not  hear.  Capt.  Elliott  soon  disappeared,  and  I 
did  not  see  him  afterwards  till  the  end  of  the  action. 
When  Com.  Perry  came  on  board,  we  were  firing 
all  our  starboard  guns.  We  bore  down  in  company 
with  the  Caledonia,  and  directed  our  fire  princi- 
pally at  the  Detroit.  The  enemy's  line  was  com- 
pact after  the  Lawrence  struck.  In  about  fifteen 
minutes  after  Com.  Perry  came  on  board,  the  De- 
troit struck,  and  the  Queen  Charlotte  a  few  minutes 
after.  The  Lady  Prevost  was  then  about  forty  or 
fifty  yards  from  the  Niagara's  lee  bow.  The  ma- 
rines were  ordered  to  discharge  their  muskets  from 
our  forecastle  at  the  Lady  Prevost.  After  the 
second  discharge  of  musketry,  she  struck.  I  think 
the  Hunter  struck  before  Capt.  Elliott  left  the 
brig. 

Q.  by  the  court.  Did  Capt.  Elliott  do  all  in  his 
power  to  gain  a  nearer  position? 

A.  Yes.  We  were  bearing  down  on  the  en- 
emy before  Com.  Perry  came  on  board.  We  had 
kept  up  an  incessant  fire  from  our  carronades  some 
time  before  Com.  Perry  came  on  board. 

Q.  Do  you  believe  Capt.  Elliott  did  every  thing 
he  ought  in  duty  to  do  in  the  action,  as  a  brave  and 
meritorious  officer? 

A.  Yes!  and  I  heard  him  express  to  the  crew 
his  intention  of  bringing  us  into  as  close  action  as 
possible. 

Q.  by  Capt.  Elliott.  Did  the  Niagara  at  any 
time  during  the  action  attempt  to  make  her  escape 
from  the  British  fleet? 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 


A.    No. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Niagara  when  the  enemy's  fire  commenced? 
and  what  distance  were  the  Lawrence,  Caledonia, 
and  Niagara  from  the  enemy's  fleet? 

A.  We  were  as  close  to  the  Caledonia  as  we 
could  form  the  line.  The  distance  between  the 
Caledonia  and  the  Lawrence  I  cannot  state.  The 
three  vessels  were  not  within  carronade  distance  of 
the  enemy,  but  at  long  gun  shot,  when  the  enemy's 
fire  commenced. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Niagara  when  we  commenced  our  fire?  and 
what  distance  was  each  of  those  vessels  from  the  en- 
emy's fleet? 

A.  The  distance  was  at  that  time  from  one  hun- 
dred fifty  to  two  hundred  yards.  The  two  vessels 
were  at  long  gun  shot.  The  second  or  third  shot 
fired  from  the  enemy  cut  away  two  starboard  fore 
top  mast  back  stays  and  fell  about  thirty  yards  to 
windward  of  us. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Caledonia  and  from  the  Caledonia  to  the 
Niagara?  and  what  distance  was  each  of  those  ves- 
sels from  the  enemy's  fleet  when  I  ordered  the  Cal- 
edonia to  bear  up  and  let  me  pass  her? 

A.  The  Lawrence  was  at  that  time  eighty  or 
ninety  yards  from  the  Caledonia;  and  the  flying 
gib  boom  of  the  Niagara  was  nearly  over  the  taffel 
of  the  Caledonia.  The  three  brigs  were  still  at 
long  gun  shot  from  the  enemy. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        191 

Q.  When  I  ordered  the  Caledonia  to  bear  up 
where  did  I  place  the  Niagara?  and  where  was 
she  when  Capt  Perry  came  on  board? 

A.  Capt  Elliott  placed  his  vessel  astern  of  the 
Lawrence,  and  when  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board, 
the  Niagara  was  ahead  of  the  Lawrence  standing 
down  on  the  enemy.  The  Caledonia  was  ordered 
out  of  the  line  about  ten  minutes  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action,  and  we  passed  the  Lawr- 
ence at  half  past  two  o'clock. 

Q.  When  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board  the  Ni- 
agara did  he  not  find  her  helm  up,  and  that  vessel 
standing  direct  for  the  enemy's  ship  Detroit? 

A.  We  were  standing  for  the  enemy,  whose  line 
was  in  compact  order. 

Q.  What  was  the  situation  of  the  gun  boats 
when  I  left  the  Niagara?  and  how  were  they  dis- 
posed of  when  brought  to  the  head  of  the  enemy's 
line? 

A.  When  Capt.  Elliott  left  the  Niagara,  they 
were  all  astern  of  us.  We  had  passed  the  Scorpion 
and  Ariel.  When  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board  they 
were  all  astern,  except  that  I  do  not  recollect' 
whether  the  Scorpion. and  Ariel  were  to  windward 
or  astern. 

Q.  When  I  hailed  the  gun  boats,  did  I  not  or- 
der them  to  make  sail  and  keep  close  under  my 
stern? 

A.  I  heard  Capt.  Elliott  hail  the  Porcupine 
and  order  her  to  take  a  position  close  under  our 
stern,  at  the  commencement  of  the  action.  The 


192  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Scorpion  was  ahead  and  the  Ariel  on  the  weather 
bow  of  the  Lawrence. 

Q.  What  was  the  established  order  of  battle, 
and  is  the  sketch  now  shewn  you  a  correct  view  of 
the  situation  of  both  fleets  at  the  times  stated? 

A.  In  the  commencement  of  the  action,  the 
Scorpion  was  the  headmost  vessel,  the  Lawrence 
next,  and  the  Ariel  on  the  weather  bow  of  the 
Lawrence,  the  Niagara  astern  of  the  Caledonia. 
The  two  lines  are  correctly  stated  in  the  sketch,  ex- 
cepting that  the  enemy's  schooner  Chippewa  took 
her  position  ahead  of  the  Detroit  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  action -I  presume,  in  order  to 
support  the  British  Commodore  and  to  engage  the 
small  vessels  at  the  head  of  our  line. 

Q.  When  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board  the  Nia- 
gara, was  she  half  a  mile  on  the  weather  bow  of  the 
Lawrence? 

A.  No!  She  was  nearly  ahead  of  the  Lawr- 
ence, a  little  on  her  weather  bow,  perhaps  one  hun- 
dred yards. 

Q.  Did  the  Lawrence  and  Caledonia  at  any 
time  in  the  action  bear  up,  and  leave  the  Niagara 
with  her  main  top  sail  aback,  or  leave  her  on  a 
wind? 

A.  Until  the  Caledonia  changed  her  position, 
the  Niagara  was  in  close  order  with  her.  The 
Lawrence  and  Caledonia  did  not  bear  up  and  leave 
the  Niagara,  as  interrogated. 

Q.  by  the  court.  At  what  stage  of  the  action  did 
the  Niagara  get  within  musket  shot  of  the  enemy? 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        193 

A.     After  the  Lawrence  was  disabled. 

Q.  by  Capt.  Elliott.  Did  Capt.  Elliott  or  Capt. 
Perry  bring  the  Niagara  into  close  action? 

A.  The  Niagara  had  closed  with  the  enemy 
some  time  before  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board. 

Q.  Did  not  the  wind  die  away  almost  to  a  calm 
when  the  action  was  pretty  well  on? 

A .  In  a  very  short  time  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  action  it  died  away,  and  it  continued 
nearly  calm  until  about  the  time  the  Lawrence  was 
disabled. 

Q.  Did  the  enemy's  ship  Queen  Charlotte  bear 
up  to  avoid  the  Niagara's  fire,  and  if  so,  at  what 
time? 

A.  Yes!  before  the  Lawrence  was  disabled,  she 
bore  up  and  ran  foul  of  the  Detroit  on  that  ship's 
lee  quarter. 

Q.  by  the  court.  Did  the  Niagara  bear  down 
and  speak  Com.  Perry  before  the  action?  and  if  so, 
what  passed? 

A.  Capt.  Elliott  spoke  Capt.  Perry  while  we 
were  passing  to  leeward.  Capt.  Elliott  mentioned 
to  his  crew  that  it  was  the  commodore's  intention 
to  bring  the  enemy  to  close  action  immediately. 
He  told  them  it  was  probable  we  should  receive 
one  or  two  raking  fires  from  the  enemy,  and  ad- 
vised them  to  receive  it  with  coolness -not  to  be 
alarmed.  He  observed  that  we  should  not  com- 
mence firing  until  within  musket  shot  distance - 
and  then,  if  every  man  did  his  duty,  we  should  flog 


194 


them  in  ten  minutes.  He  then  ordered  them  to 
their  quarters. 

Mr.  Adams,112  late  midshipman  of  the  Niagara, 
was  sworn. 

Q.  Do  you  believe  Capt.  Perry's  official  ac- 
count to  be  correct? 

A.     I  think  it  is. 

Q.  Did  the  Niagara  at  any  time  during  the  ac- 
tion attempt  to  make  off  from  the  British  fleet? 

A.     No! 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Niagara  when  the  enemy's  fire  commenced? 
and  what  distance  were  the  Lawrence,  Caledonia, 
and  Niagara  from  the  enemy? 

A.  I  should  say  the  distance  was  thirty  or  forty 
yards  between  the  Lawrence  and  Niagara.  The 
three  vessels  were  about  half  or  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  from  the  enemy. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  Lawrence 
to  the  Caledonia,  and  from  the  Caledonia  to  the 
Niagara?  and  what  distance  were  those  vessels 
from  the  enemy,  when  I  ordered  the  Caledonia  to 
bear  up  and  let  me  pass  her? 

A.  The  distance  was  not  then  more  than  twenty 
yards  from  the  Lawrence  to  the  Caledonia,  and 
our  gib  boom  was  over  the  Caledonia's  taffel.  All 
were  nearing  the  enemy,  and  something  less  than 
half  a  mile  off. 

Q.    When  Capt.  Perry  came  on  board  the  Ni- 

112  Midshipman  Samuel  W.  Adams.  He  was  dropped  from  the 
navy  in  1815. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        195 

agara,  did  he  not  find  her  helm  up,  and  that  vessel 
standing  direct  for  the  enemy's  ship  Detroit. 

A.  The  helm  was  up,  and  we  were  bearing 
down  upon  the  enemy.  The  foresail  was  set  for 
that  purpose. 

Q.  by  the  court.  Did  Capt.  Elliott  do  all  in  his 
power  to  close  in  with  the  Lawrence  when  she  was 
overpowered  by  the  enemy's  vessels  firing  into  her? 

A.     I  believe  he  did. 

Q.     Did  he  get  up  in  time  to  afford  her  relief? 

A.  She  was  nearly  disabled,  but  still  firing 
when  he  got  up. 

Q.  Was  Capt.  Elliott's  conduct,  during  the  ac- 
tion, that  of  a  good  officer,  in  your  judgment? 

A.     It  was. 

Q.  Did  you  observe  any  indication  of  an  inten- 
tion on  his  part  to  withdraw  from  the  enemy  at  the 
time  the  Lawrence  was  disabled? 

A.     No!    he  appeared  to  be  anxious  to  close  in. 

Q.  by  Capt.  Elliott.  Did  the  Lawrence  and 
Caledonia,  at  any  time  during  the  action,  run  down 
within  musket  shot  of  the  enemy,  and  leave  the 
Niagara  firing  at  the  enemy's  smaller  vessels  at  a 
distance? 

A.  No!  we  were  close  to  the  Caledonia  dur- 
ing the  whole  action,  till  she  was  ordered  out  of  the 
way  in  order  to  let  us  pass  to  the  assistance  of  the 
Commodore. 

Mr.  Tattem,113  master's  mate  on  board  the  Ni- 
agara was  sworn. 

113  Master's  Mate  Robert  S.  Tatera. 


196  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Q.  by  the  Judge  Advocate.  Did  Capt.  Elliott 
do  all  in  his  power  to  close  in  with  the  Lawrence 
when  she  was  overpowered  by  the  enemy's  vessels 
firing  into  her? 

A.     He  did. 

Q.     Did  he  get  up  in  time  to  afford  her  relief? 

A.  We  were  never  much  out  of  the  way.  We 
were  immediately  under  the  Caledonia's  stern,  and 
the  Lawrence  was  about  the  length  of  the  Cale- 
donia ahead  of  the  latter.  The  three  brigs  were  in 
compact  line. 

Q.  Was  Capt.  Elliott's  conduct  during  the  ac- 
tion such  as  merited  approbation? 

A.  I  thought  at  the  time  that  no  man  could  dis- 
play more  zeal,  gallantry,  and  conduct  than  he  did. 

Q.  Did  you  observe  any  appearance  of  an  in- 
tention on  his  part  to  withdraw  from  the  enemy, 
when  the  Lawrence  was  disabled? 

A.     No!    far  from  it. 

Q.  Did  the  Niagara  at  any  time  during  the  ac- 
tion make  off  from  the  British  fleet? 

A.    No! 

Q.  Did  the  Lawrence  and  Caledonia  at  any 
time  bear  up  and  place  themselves  within  musket 
shot  distance  of  the  enemy,  leaving  the  Niagara 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  off,  firing  at  the  enemy's 
smaller  vessels? 

A.  No!  Until  we  passed  the  Caledonia  we 
were  immediately  under  her  stern. 

Q.  by  Capt.  Elliott.  What  conversation  passed 
between  me  and  Capt.  Perry  when  I  returned  on 
board  the  Niagara? 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        197 

A.  I  saw  Capt.  Perry  shake  hands  with  Capt. 
Elliott,  and  heard  him  express  his  high  satisfaction 
at  Capt.  Elliott's  conduct,  and  attributed  to  him  a 
large  share  of  the  glory  of  the  day. 

Q.  How  near  was  Capt.  Elliott  to  the  Lawr- 
ence in  passing  her? 

A.  He  took  very  little  more  than  room  enough 
to  pass  to  windward. 

Q.  Was  the  Niagara  three-fourths  of  a  mile  on 
the  bow  of  the  Lawrence  when  Capt.  Perry  came 
on  board? 

A.  No!  I  should  suppose  not  more  than  sixty 
or  seventy  yards,  if  that. 

Q.  Was  not  the  helm  up  and  the  Niagara  bear- 
ing down  on  the  enemy  when  Capt.  Perry  came  on 
board? 

A.    Yes. 

Q.  Had  you  been  an  officer  on  board  the  Lawr- 
ence, would  you  have  supposed  there  was  any  de- 
ficiency in  the  conduct  of  Capt.  Elliott  in  coming 
to  the  relief  of  the  Lawrence? 

A.  No  one,  seeing  what  was  going  on,  could 
suppose  so.  For  my  own  part,  I  should  not. 

The  Court  adjourned  to  to-morrow  morning  at 
half  past  9  o'clock. 

APRIL,  26TH,  1815.  The  court  met  pursuant  to 
adjournment.  Present:  y 

Commodore  Murray,  President', 
Captain  Evans,  Lieut.  Comt.  Rodgers,  Members. ; 
The  Judge  Advocate. 


ig8  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Mr.  Cummings,114  acting  midshipman  on  board 
the  Niagara,  was  sworn. 

Q.  by  the  court.  Did  Capt.  Elliott  do  all  in  his 
power  to  gain  a  near  position  to  the  enemy? 

A.     Yes -in  my  opinion,  every  thing  he  could  do. 

Q.  Do  you  believe  that  Capt.  Elliott  did  every 
thing  he  ought  to  have  done  in  the  action? 

A.    Yes. 

Q.  Did  the  Niagara  attempt  to  make  off  from 
the  enemy's  fleet  during  the  action? 

A.     No! 

Q.  Did  the  enemy's  ship  Queen  Charlotte  at- 
tempt to  make  off  from  the  Niagara? 

A.  Yes -the  Queen  Charlotte  attempted  to  get 
away  from  us,  and  in  so  doing  run  foul  of  the  De- 
troit. This  was  before  Capt.  Elliott  left  the  Ni- 
agara to  go  on  board  the  gun  boats. 

Q.  Where  was  the  Niagara  when  Capt.  Perry 
came  on  board  of  her?  and  was  the  Lawrence,  at 
that  time,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  nearer  to  the  en- 
emy than  the  Niagara? 

A.  The  Niagara  was  laying  along  side  the  en- 
emy's ships  Queen  Charlotte  and  Detroit.  I  think 
she  was  not  more  than  two  cables  length  from 
them.  I  think  we  were  nearer  the  enemy  than  the 
Lawrence. 

Q.  When  we  passed  the  Lawrence  how  near 
were  we  to  her? 

A.  I  was  not  looking  at  her-but  the  first  time 
I  saw  her,  after  we  passed  her,  she  was  not  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off. 

114  Midshipman  John  L.  Cummings.     He  died  a  lieutenant  in  1824. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        199 

Q.  Did  the  Lawrence  and  Caledonia,  at  any 
time  during  the  action,  bear  up  for  the  enemy, 
leaving  the  Niagara  standing  on  to  windward? 

A.     No -not  that  I  saw. 

Q.  Did  Capt.  Elliott  order  the  Caledonia  out 
of  the  line  at  any  period  of  the  action? 

A.  Yes!  an  hour  before  Capt.  Perry  came  on 
board. 

Lieut.  Forrest,  acting  lieutenant  on  board  the 
Lawrence,  was  sworn. 

Q.     Where  were  you  stationed? 

A.     In  the  second  division. 

Q.  Have  you  read  Capt.  Perry's  official  letter, 
and  does  it  contain  a  correct  statement  of  facts? 

A.     I  have  just  read  it,  and  it  is  correct. 

Q.  by  the  judge  advocate.  What  else  do  you 
know  of  this  enquiry? 

A.  When  we  got  within  three  miles  of  the  en- 
emy on  the  loth  of  September,  Capt.  Elliott  hailed 
us  concerning  the  flag  that  was  to  be  hoisted  on 
board  the  Commodore.  A  flag  with  the  motto, 
Don't  give  up  the  Ship,  was  hoisted.  Com.  Perry 
hailed  Capt.  Elliott,  and  told  him  that  he  (Com. 
P.)  intended  to  engage  the  Detroit,  and  wished  the 
Niagara  to  drop  just  astern  of  him.  We  went  into 
action  in  that  order.  Signals  were  made  from  the 
Lawrence  for  each  vessel  to  engage  its  opponent. 

Q.  Did  the  Niagara  attempt  to  make  off  from 
the  British  fleet  at  any  time  during  the  action? 

A.    No! 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  Capt.  Elliott  did  all 
in  his  power  to  gain  a  position  nearer  to  the  enemy? 


200  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

A .  It  is  my  opinion  there  might  have  been  more 
sail  set  on  the  Niagara. 

Q.  Did  he  do  every  thing  becoming  a  brave  and 
meritorious  officer,  in  the  action? 

A.     So  far  as  I  saw,  I  believe  he  did. 

Q.  Where  was  the  Niagara  when  Com.  Perry 
went  on  board? 

A.  She  was  to  windward  of  us.  I  suppose  she 
was  about  half  a  mile  off,  but  I  cannot  be  positive. 

Q.  Did  you,  during  the  action,  express  your 
surprize  that  the  Niagara  did  not  close  with  the 
enemy? 

A.    Yes. 

Q.  How  far  was  the  Niagara  from  the  enemy 
at  that  time? 

A.  I  do  not  know.  I  suppose  from  three- 
fourths  to  one-half  a  mile. 

Q.     Was  the  Niagara  then  engaged? 

A.     She  was  firing. 

Q.  How  near  was  the  Lawrence  to  the  enemy 
at  the  same  time? 

A.  At  point  blank  shot  distance  with  a  carron- 
ade. 

0.  Did  the  Caledonia  and  Lawrence  at  any 
time  during  the  action  bear  up  and  run  down  on 
the  enemy,  leaving  the  Niagara  standing  on? 

A.  After  the  action  commenced  the  Niagara 
was  standing  directly  after  us. 

Q.  Are  Lieuts.  Edwards  and  Smith,115  and  Mr. 
Macgraw,116  late  of  the  Niagara,  dead? 

115  Lieutenant  Joseph  E.  Smith.  He  died  in  Virginia  in  December, 
1813. 

lie  Purser  Humphrey  Magrath.     He  killed  himself  in  1814. 


COURT  OF  ENQUIRY  ON  ELLIOTT        201 

A.     Yes. 

Q.  Is  there  any  thing  further  relating  to  this 
enquiry  that  you  wish  to  state  to  the  court? 

A.     No. 

The  Court  being  cleared  and  the  whole  of  the 
proceedings  read  over  to  the  court  by  the  judge  ad- 
vocate, the  following  opinion  was  pronounced. 

OPINION 

The  Court  of  Enquiry  convened  at  the  request  of 
Captain  Jesse  D.  Elliott,  having  deliberately  ex- 
amined all  the  evidence  produced  before  them  for 
the  purpose  of  investigating  his  conduct  in  the 
glorious  battle  of  Lake  Erie,  on  the  loth  of  Sep- 
tember, 1813,  in  which  he  bore  so  conspicuous  a 
part,  sincerely  regret  that  there  should  have  been 
any  diversity  of  opinion  respecting  the  events  of 
that  day,  and  imperious  duty  compels  the  court  to 
promulgate  testimony  that  appears  materially  to 
vary  in  some  of  its  important  points:  the  court, 
however,  feel  convinced  that  the  attempts  to  wrest 
from  Captain  Elliott  the  laurels  he  gained  in  that 
splendid  victory,  as  second  in  command,  under  that 
gallant  and  highly  meritorious  officer  Captain 
Perry,  ought  in  no  wise  to  lessen  him  in  the  opinion 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  as  a  brave  and  skillful  officer, 
and  that  the  charge  made  in  the  proceedings  of  the 
British  Court  Martial  by  which  Captain  Barclay 
was  tried,  of  his  attempting  to  withdraw  from  the 
battle,  is  malicious  and  unfounded  in  fact.  On  the 
contrary,  it  has  been  proved  to  the  satisfaction  of 


202  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

this  court  that  the  enemy's  ship  Queen  Charlotte 
bore  off  from  the  fire  of  the  Niagara,  commanded 
by  Captain  Elliott. 

A.  MURRAY,  Prest. 

HENRY  WHEATON,  Judge  Advocate 
Approved,  B.  W.  CROWNINSHIELD 


A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF 
THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

Accounts  of  the  battle  are  almost  innumerable. 
Only  the  more  important  ones  are  here  listed. 


A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF 
THE  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

ADAMS,  HENRY.  History  of  the  United  States  (New  York, 
1891),  vol.  vii,  99-127. 

* 

ALLSTON,  JOSEPH  BLYTH.  Battle  of  Lake  Erie  (Charleston, 
1897),  14  pages,  a  poem. 

ARMSTRONG,  JOHN.  Notices  of  the  War  of  1812  (New  York, 
1836),  vol.  i,  167-170. 

BANCROFT,  GEORGE.  History  of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie  and 
Miscellaneous  Papers,  published  with  Oliver  Dyer's  Life  and 
Writings  of  George  Bancroft  (New  York,  1891),  129-189. 

BARNES,  JAMES.  Naval  Actions  of  the  War  of  1812  (New 
York,  1896),  138-156. 

The  Hero  of  Erie  (New  York,  1898),  40-93. 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie.  Captain  Heath's  Address  relative  to  the 
Battle  of  Lake  Erie  (Washington,  1817),  24  pages. 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie  Celebration.  An  Account  of  the  Organ- 
ization and  Proceedings  of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie  Monu- 
ment Association,  and  Celebration  of  the  45th  Anniversary 
of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  at  Put-in-Bay  Island,  on  Sep- 
tember tenth,  1858  (Sandusky,  1858),  49  pages. 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie  Centennial.  Memorial  in  Conjunction 
with  Perry's  Victory  Centennial  and  Exposition  (published 
by  the  United  States  government,  Washington,  1910),  18 
pages. 

BOWEN,  ABEL.  Naval  Monument,  containing  official  and 
other  Accounts  of  all  the  Battles  fought  between  the  navies 
of  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  during  the  Late 
War,  etc.  (Boston,  1816),  81-95. 

This   book   publishes   many   important  documents   relating  to  the 
battle. 

[  205  ] 


2o6  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

BRACKENRIDGE,  HENRY  MARIE.  History  of  the  late  war,  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  containing  a 
minute  Account  of  the  various  military  and  naval  Opera- 
tions, illustrated  with  plates,  second  edition  (Baltimore, 
1817),  184-187. 

BROWN,  SAMUEL  R.  Authentic  History  of  the  Second  War 
for  Independence,  etc.  (Auburn,  1815),  140-154. 

Views  of  the  Campaigns  of  the  North-western  Army,  etc., 

comprising  Sketches  of  the  Campaigns  of  Generals  Hull  and 
Dearborn,  a  minute  and  interesting  Account  of  the  naval 
Conflict  on  Lake  Erie,  etc.  (Philadelphia,  1815),  84-102. 

BUNNELL,  DAVID  C.  Travels  and  Adventures  of  David  C. 
Bunnell,  during  twenty-three  Years  of  a  Seafaring  Life,  con- 
taining an  accurate  Account  of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  etc. 
(Palmyra,  1831),  109-118. 

BURGES,  TRISTAM.  Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  with  Notices  of  Com- 
modore Elliott's  Conduct  in  that  Engagement  (Philadel- 
phia, 1839),  U7  Pages. 

This  book  contains  many  important  documents  respecting  the 
Battle  of  Lake  Erie  and  the  controversy  between  Perry  and  Elliott. 
There  are  several  editions,  besides  the  above.  One  of  them  is 
published  at  Boston,  and  another  at  Providence. 

CALVERT,  GEORGE  HENRY.  Oration  on  the  Occasion  of  cele- 
brating the  fortieth  Anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie, 
delivered  on  the  tenth  of  September,  1853,  in  Newport,  R.I., 
second  edition  (Providence,  1854),  32  pages. 

The  appendix  contains  three  letters  written  by  Perry  to  Commo- 
dore Isaac  Chauncey  in  the  summer  of  1813. 

CLARK,  THOMAS.  Naval  History  of  the  United  States,  from 
the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  War  to  the  present 
Time  (Philadelphia,  1814),  vol.  i,  217-222. 

CLAY,  CASSIUS  MARCELLUS.  Oration  of  Cassius  Marcellus 
Clay  before  the  Maumee  Valley  Historical  and  Monumental 
Association,  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  at  Put-in-Bay  Island,  Lake 
Erie,  on  the  loth  of  September,  1891,  the  Anniversary  of  the 
Capture  of  the  British  Fleet  by  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  (Phila- 
delphia, 1891),  19  pages. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  207 


COOPER,  JAMES  FENIMORE.     Lives  of  Distinguished  American 
Naval  Officers  (Philadelphia,  1846),  vol.  ii,  161-232. 

These  sketches  were  originally  printed  in  Graham's  Magazine, 
and  were  enlarged  and  improved  before  publication  in  book  form. 
There  is  also  an  edition  of  the  book  printed  at  Auburn,  New 
York,  in  1846. 

Oliver   Hazard   Perry,   in  Graham's  Magazine    (Phila- 
delphia, 1843),  vol.  xxii,  269-278,  336-346. 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  or  Answers  to  Messrs.  Burges,  Duer, 

and  Mackenzie  ( Cooperstown,  1843),  117  pages. 

This  is  a  defense  of  Captain  Jesse  Duncan  Elliott. 

History  of  the  Navy  of  the  United  States  of  America 


(Philadelphia,  1839),  vol.  ii,  385-405. 

There  are  several  subsequent  editions  of  this  book  (see  R.  W. 
Neeser's  Statistical  and  Chronological  History  of  the  United  States 
Navy,  vol.  i,  107). 

DAWSON,  HENRY  BARTON.     Battles  of  the  United  States  by 
Sea  and  Land,  etc.  (New  York,  1858),  vol.  ii,  274-290. 
This  book  may  be  consulted  for  its  references. 

DAWSON,  MOSES.  Historical  Narrative  of  the  Civil  and  Mil- 
itary Services  of  Major-general  William  H.  Harrison,  etc. 
(Cincinnati,  1824),  414-417. 

DOBBINS,  WILLIAM  W.  History  of  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie, 
September  10,  1813,  and  Reminiscences  of  the  Flagship 
Lawrence  (Erie,  1876),  96  pages. 

Dobbins  has  used  the  papers  of  his  father,  Sailing-master  Daniel 
Dobbins,  one  of  Perry's  officers.  A  second  edition  was  published 
in  1913. 

EATON,  JOSEPH  GILES.  Perry's  Victory  on  Lake  Erie,  18 
pages,  in  Papers  of  the  Military  Historical  Society  of  Massa- 
chusetts, vol.  xi,  no.  7. 

ELLIOTT,  JESSE  DUNCAN.  Speech  of  Com.  Jesse  Duncan  El- 
liott, delivered  in  Hagerstown,  Md.,  on  I4th  November, 
1843,  published  by  the  Committee  of  Arrangement  of  Wash- 
ington County,  Maryland  (Philadelphia,  1844),  82  pages*. 

This  pamphlet  contains  Elliott's  account  of  his  conduct  in  the 
battle,  the  proceedings  of  the  Elliott  Court  of  Enquiry,  and  other 
documents  relating  to  the  controversy. 


ao8  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

EMMONS,  GEORGE  FOSTER.     Navy  of  the  United  States,  etc. 

(Washington,  1853),  20-21. 
FROST,  JOHN.     Book  of  the  Navy,  etc.  (New  York,  1842), 

194-213- 
This  book  prints  the  affidavits  of  several  of  Perry's  officers. 

HUNTINGTON,  WEBSTER  P.  The  Perry's  victory  memorial 
(Akron,  1917),  127  pages. 

INGERSOLL,  CHARLES  JARED.  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Second 
War  between  the  United  States  of  America  and  Great 
Britain,  etc.  (Philadelphia,  1845),  vol.  i,  148-157. 

[IRVING,  WASHINGTON].  Biographical  Memoir  of  Commo- 
dore Perry,  in  the  Analectic  Magazine,  vol.  ii,  493-510. 

This  will  be  found  in  Author's  Autograph  Edition  of  Irving's 
writings  (New  York,  1897),  Salmagundi,  vol.  ii,  294-314;  as  well  as 
in  other  editions. 

JAMES,  WILLIAM.  Full  and  correct  Account  of  the  chief  naval 
Occurrences  of  the  late  War  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States  of  America,  etc.  (London,  1817),  283-295. 

[JARVIS,  RUSSELL].  Biographical  Notice  of  Com.  Jesse  Dun- 
can Elliott,  containing  a  Review  of  the  Controversy  between 
him  and  the  late  Commodore  Perry,  and  a  History  of  the 
Figure-head  of  the  U.S.  Frigate  Constitution,  by  a  Citizen 
of  New  York. 

The  appendix  of  this  book  contains  the  minutes  of  the  Elliott 
court  of  enquiry,  affidavits  and  statements  of  various  officers  who 
participated  in  the  battle,  a  copy  of  a  letter  of  O.  H.  Perry  to 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  G.  W.  Crowninshield  of  August  8,  1818, 
preferring  charges  against  Elliott,  and  other  documents  relating 
to  the  battle. 

KINGSFORD,  WILLIAM.  History  of  Canada  (London,  1895), 
vol.  viii,  310-314. 

LOSSING,  BENSON  JOHN.  Pictorial  Field-Book  of  the  War  of 
1812,  etc.  (New  York,  1868),  509-543. 

This  book  contains  much  interesting  information,  some  of  which 
must  be  used  with  caution. 

Story  of  the  United  States  Navy   (New  York,   1811), 

183-195. 

LOUNSBURY,  THOMAS  RAYNESFORD.     James  Fenimore  Coo- 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  209 


per,  in  American  Men  of  Letters  series  (Boston,  1883),  208- 
230. 

This   gives   an  excellent  account  of  Cooper's  part  in  the  Perry- 
Elliott  controversy. 

LUCAS,  SIR  CHARLES  PRESTWOOD.     Canadian  War  of  1812 
(Oxford,  1906),  113-118. 

LYMAN,  OLIN  LINUS.     Comrrfodore  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  and 
the  War  on  the  Lakes  (New  York,  1905),  105-206. 

[McAFEE,  ROBERT  BRECKENRIDGE].     History  of  the  late  War 
in  the  western  Country,  etc.  (Lexington,  1816),  354-361. 

MACKENZIE,  ALEXANDER  SLIDELL.     Life  of  Oliver  Hazard 
Perry  (New  York,  1840),  2  vols. 

This  book  is  especially  full  in  respect  to  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie. 
In  the  appendix  it  prints  the  charges  of  Perry  against  Elliott  and 
the  affidavits  of  several  of  Perry's  officers.  In  the  appendix  of  the 
fifth  edition  there  is  a  paper  of  Mackenzie  respecting  his  contro- 
versy with  James  Feniraore  Cooper  (58  pages),  dated  November, 
1843. 

MACLAY,   EDGAR   STANTON.     History  of  the   United   States 
Navy  from  1775  to  1898  (New  York,  1898),  492-520. 

MAHAN,  ALFRED  THAYER.     Sea  Power  in  its  Relations  to  the 
War  of  1812  (Boston,  1905),  vol.  ii,  62-101. 

MILLS,  JAMES  COOKE.     Oliver  Hazard  Perry  and  the  Battle 
of  Lake  Erie  (Detroit,  1913),  288  pages. 

MORTON,  EDWARD  PAYSON.     Lake  Erie  and  the  Story  of  Com- 
modore Perry  (Chicago,  1913),  104  pages. 

NAVAL  TEMPLE,  The  (Boston,  1816), -155-162. 

NEESER,  ROBERT  WILDEN.     Statistical  and  Chronological  His- 
tory of  the  United  States  Navy  (New  York,  1909),  vol.  ii, 

50-5L 

NILES,  JOHN  MILTON.  Life  of  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  with  an 
Appendix,  comprising  Sketches  of  the  late  General  Pike  and 
Captain  Lawrence,  and  a  View  of  the  present  Condition  and 
future  Prospects  of  the  Navy  of  the  United  States  (Hart- 
ford, 1820),  72-156. 
A  second  edition  of  this  book  was  published  in  1821. 

PARSONS,  USHER.     Battle  of  Lake  Erie,  a  Discourse  delivered 
before  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society  on  the  Evening 


210  BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 

of   Monday,    February   16,    1852    (Providence,    1853),   36 
pages. 

A  second  edition  of  this  book  was  issued  in  1854. 
PARSONS,  USHER.     Brief  Sketches  of  the  Officers  who  were  in 
the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie  (Albany,  1862),  13  pages. 

This  is  also  printed  in  the  New  England  Historical  and  Gen- 
ealogical Register,  vol.  xvii,  17-29. 

Speech  of  Dr.  Usher  Parsons  at  Put-in-Bay,  September 

10,  1858,  the  Celebration  of  the  45th  Anniversary  of  the 
Battle  of  Lake  Erie  [Providence?,  1858],  4  pages. 

This  is  published  in  the  New  England  Historical  and  Genealogi- 
cal Register,  vol.  xiii,  171-174. 

[PERRY,  MATTHEW  CALBRAITH].  Documents  in  relation  to 
the  Differences  between  the  late  Commodore  O.  H.  Perry 
and  Captain  J.  D.  Elliott  (Washington,  1821 ;  Boston, 

1834),  38  pages. 

This  pamphlet  contains  O.  H.  Perry's  letter  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  G.  W.  Crowninshield  of  August  8,  1818,  preferring 
charges  against  Elliott,  a  copy  of  the  charges,  correspondence  be- 
tween Elliott  and  Perry  and  others  in  1818  which  threatened  to  lead 
to  a  duel,  and  affidavits  of  officers  favorable  to  Perry. 

PERRY,  OLIVER  HAZARD.  Life  of  Commodore  Perry,  in  the 
Portfolio,  1814,  vol.  i,  210-217. 

PERRY-ELLIOTT  CONTROVERSY.  Review  of  a  Pamphlet  pur- 
porting to  be  Documents  in  relation  to  the  Differences  which 
subsisted  between  the  late  Commodore  Oliver  H.  Perry, 
and  Captain  Jesse  D.  Elliott,  by  a  Citizen  of  Massachusetts 
(Boston,  1834),  55  pages. 

This  is  a  defense  of  Elliott.  Many  important  documents  relat- 
ing to  his  controversy  with  Perry  are  printed. 

PERRY  MEMORIAL  and  Centennial  Celebration.  Published  by 
direction  of  the  Inter-state  Board  of  the  Perry's  Centennial 
Commissioners  (Cleveland,  1912),  22  pages. 

PERRY  MONUMENT.     Report  of  bill  for  a  Perry  Monument  at 
Put-in-Bay,  by  the  U.S.  House  of  Representatives  Committee 
on  the  Library,  in  U.S.  House  Reports,  5ist  Congress,  first 
session,  no.  2142. 
The  bill  was  favorably  reported. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  211 

PERRY  MONUMENT.     Report  on  Bill  for  a  Perry  Monument 
at  Put-in-Bay,  by  the  U.S.  House  of  Representatives  Com- 
mittee on  the  Library,  in  U.S.  House  Reports,  52d  Congress, 
first  session,  no.  1214. 
The  bill  was  favorably  reported. 

PERRY  STATUE.  Inauguration  of  the  Perry  Statue  at  Cleve- 
land, on  the  Tenth  of  September,  1860,  including  the  Ad- 
dresses and  other  Proceedings,  with  a  Sketch  of  William 
Walcutt,  the  Sculptor,  published  by  Direction  of  the  City 
Council  (Cleveland,  1861),  128  pages. 

This  contains  many  interesting  documents  relating  to  the  battle. 
Among  others,  a  letter  of  Lewis  Cass,  giving  an  account  of  the  re- 
ception of  Perry's  famous  dispatch  at  Seneca  (pp.  21-22),  brief 
accounts  of  the  battle  by  a  gunner  and  a  sailor  who  participated 
in  it  (pp.  82-86),  and  accounts  of  the  reception  at  various  places 
of  the  news  of  Perry's  victory  (pp.  91-97). 

PERRY  STATUE.  Inauguration  of  the  Perry  Statue,  with  the 
Addresses  of  William  P.  Sheffield,  and  the  Remarks  in  re- 
ceiving the  Statue  by  Governor  Wetmore  and  Mayor  Frank- 
lin, etc.  (Newport,  1885),  60  pages. 

This  pamphlet  contains  the  addresses  delivered  at  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  Perry  statue  at  Newport  on  September  10,  1885.  In 
the  appendix  are  several  poems  respecting  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie. 

PERRY  STATUE.  Order  of  Services  appointed  for  laying  the 
Foundation  Stone  of  the  Perry  Statue,  in  the  city  of  New- 
port, by  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Rhode  Island  (New- 
port, 1885),  15  pages. 

PERRY'S  VICTORY  CENTENARY.  Published  by  the  Perry's  Vic- 
tory Centennial  Commission  of  New  York  (Albany,  1916), 
309  pages. 

PERRY'S  VICTORY  Centennial  Souvenir.  Published  by  the  edi- 
torial staff  of  the  Journal  of  American  History  (New  York, 
1913),  96  pages. 

ROOSEVELT,  THEODORE.  Naval  War  of  1812,  etc.,  uniform 
edition  (Philadelphia,  1902),  vol.  i,  308-340. 

This  work  first  appeared  in  1882.  There  are  several  editions 
of  it. 


212  BIBLIOGRAPHY 


ROOSEVELT,  THEODORE.  War  with  the  United  States,  1812- 
15,  in  William  Laird  Clowes'  Royal  Navy,  vol.  vi,  117-128. 

SPALDING,  RUFUS  PAINE.  Anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Lake 
Erie  (Sandusky,  1859),  18  pages. 

This  contains  an  oration  by  Spalding  delivered  on  September  10, 
1859,  when  the  corner-stone  of  a  monument  was  laid  at  Put-in-Bay, 
Ohio. 

SPEARS,  JOHN  RANDOLPH.  History  of  Our  Navy,  from  its 
Origin  to  the  present  Day,  1775-1897  (New  York,  1897), 
vol.  ii,  280-325. 

TIFFANY,  NINA  MOORE  and  Francis.  Harm  Jan  Huidekoper 
(Cambridge,  1904),  181-190. 

WARD,  JAMES  HARMAN.  Manual  of  Naval  Tactics,  etc. 
(New  York,  1870),  76-80. 

WHITMAN,  BENJAMIN.  Heroes  of  the  North,  or  the  Battles 
of  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Champlain  (Boston,  1816). 

This  book  contains  two  poems,  one  on  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie 
and  the  other  on  the  battle  of  Lake  Champlain ;  and  three  engrav- 
ings, two  of  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie  (by  P.  Maverick,  Newark,  New 
Jersey),  and  one  of  the  batth  of  Lake  Champlain. 

YAPLE,  GEORGE  REID.     Perry  at  Erie  (Erie,  1913),  39  pages. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


ADAMS,  HENRY:  work  cited,  205 

Adams,  John:  85 

Adams,  Samuel  W:  194  and  foot- 
note 

Allen,  James  W:  58,  84 

Allston,  Joseph  Blythe:  work  cit- 
ed, 205 

Almy,  Sailing-master  Thomas  C: 
24,  footnote 

Amherstburg  (Canada) :  22,  24, 
34,  67,  151,  157,  158,  159,  161, 
162,  163,  165 

Analectic  Magazine:  cited,  208 

Ariel  (U.S.S.)  :  21,  24,  footnote, 
27,  28-31,  34,  79  and  footnote, 
82,  86,  88,  91,  95,  99,  103,  109, 
T33>  J47»  *82,  191;  armament 
of,  74 

Armstrong,  John:  work  cited,  205 

Artus,  James:  86 

BAGGS,  WILLIAM:  85 

Baltimore    (Md.) :   honors    Perry, 

36 

Bancroft,  George:  work  cited,  205 
Barclay,  Commander  Robert 
Heriot:  sketch  of  life,  23,  foot- 
note; 24  and  footnote,  28-33, 
75,  83,  92,  109,  177,  192,  199; 
honors  36,  footnote;  letter  to, 
51,  53;  letter  of,  65,  67-74; 
court-martial,  135-167;  appear- 
ance, 140,  footnote;  finding  of 
court-martial,  153-154;  state- 
ment to  court-martial,  155-167 


Barlin,  Elijah:  85 

Barnes,  James:  works  cited,  205 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie:  events  lead- 
ing up  to,  17-24;  general  ac- 
count, 24-25 ;  account  of  Roose- 
velt, 27-34;  accounts  by  Perry, 
47-49,  79-87;  account  by  Inglis, 
53-54;  account  by  Parsons,  57- 
58,  123-125;  prisoners  taken,  61- 
62,  footnote;  account  by  Bar- 
clay, 67-75  ;  casualties,  75  ;  Sec- 
retary of  Navy  respecting,  113- 
114,  119-120;  information  con- 
cerning, 141-167,  174-201 ;  bib- 
liography of,  205-212 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie  Celebration: 
205 

Battle  of  Lake  Erie  Centennial: 
205 

Belvidera  (British  naval  ship) : 
137,  footnote 

Bennet,  Daniel:  86 

Bignell,  Lieut.  George:  22,  70  and 
footnote,  75,  163 

Bird,  James:  85 

Bixby,  William  Keeney:  mention- 
ed, 41,  footnote,  59 

Black,  Capt.  James:  141 

Black  Rock:  see  Buffalo 

Boston  (Mass.) :  35,  36 

Bowen,  Abel:  work  cited,  205 

Bowman,  Godfrey:  86 

Brace,  Capt.  Edward:  137,   139 

Brackenridge,  Henry  Marie:  work 
cited,  206 


216 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 


Brevoort,  Capt.  Henry  B:  80,  foot- 
note, 82,  95 

Brooks,  Lieut.  John:  32,  80,  foot- 
note, 81;  sketch  of,  58,  foot- 
note', death  of,  Si 

Brown,  James:  84 

Brown,  John  E:  85 

Brown,  Samuel  R:  works  cited, 
206 

Buffalo  (N.  Y.) :  20,  159 

Buchan,  Lieut.  Edward:  24,  foot- 
note, 31,  70,  75 

Bunnell,  David  C:  work  cited,  206 

Burdeen,  John:  85 

Burges,  Tristam:  work  cited,  55, 
206,  207 

Burnett,  William:  85 

Burnham,  John:  85 

Butler,  Thomas:  58,  84 

Byron,  Capt.  Richard:  137  and 
footnote,  139 

CALEDONIA  (U.S.S.) :  21,  24,  foot- 
note, 27-34,  68,  82,  144,  147,  174- 
184,  186-192,  194-196,  199,  200; 
armament  of,  73,  88 ;  wounded 
on  board,  86 

Calvert,  George  Henry:  work  cit- 
ed, 206 

Campbell,   John:   24,    footnote,  74 

Canada:  18,  19,  34,  103 

Carty,  James:  58,  84 

Champlin,  Sailing-master  Stephen: 
24,  footnote,  34,  80,  footnote,  82 

Chapman,  Nathan:  85 

Chauncty,  Commodore  Isaac:  19, 
45,  120,  130  and  footnote,  206 

Chauncey,  Peter  S:  45 

Chillicothe  (Ohio) :  91  and  foot- 
note 

Chippeway  (British  naval  ship) : 
28,  31,  33,  74,  75,  83,  88,  »S7, 
180,  192;  armament,  148 


Christie,  David:  85 

Clark,  Midshipman  John:  80, 
footnote,  87;  death  of,  81-82 

Clark,  Thomas:  work  cited,  206 

Claxton,  Thomas:  80,  footnote, 
85 ;  wounded,  82 

Clay,  Cassius  Marcellus:  work 
cited,  206 

Clay,  John:  85 

Clowes,  William  Laird:  quoted, 
34;  work  cited,  212 

Cochran,  Samuel:  86 

Conkling,  Lieut.  A.  H.  M:  24, 
footnote 

Congress,  U.  S;  purchases  captur- 
ed fleet,  36;  honors  Perry,  36- 

37 

Constitution  (U.S.S.) :  137,  foot- 
note 

Cooper,  James  Fenimore:  defends 
Elliott,  27,  footnote;  works  cit- 
ed, 207,  209 

Cornell,  George:  85 

Couche,  Edward:  164  and  footnote 

Cranston,  William:  58,  84 

CrowninshSeld,  B.  W.  (secretary 
of  the  navy)  :  172  and  footnote, 
202,  208 

Cummings,  Francis:  85 

Cummings,  Midshipman  John  L: 
86;  testimony  of,  198-199,  foot- 
note 

D ACRES,  CAPT.  JAMES  RICHARD:  137 
and  footnote,  139 

Daring,  William:  85 

Davidson,   Charles:  86 

Davidson,  Henry:  86 

Davis,  William:  86 

Dawson,  Henry  Barton:  work  cit- 
ed, 65,  207 

Dawson,   Moses:  work  cited,   207 

Dawson,  William:  84 


INDEX 


217 


Decatur,  Capt.  Stephen:  133  and 
footnote,  171,  footnote 

Denning,  Joseph:  85 

Detroit  (British  naval  vessel) : 
23,  24,  footnote,  27-34,  53.  57. 
58,  67-69,  71,  75,  83,  91,  138, 
140,  143-148,  151,  *S*,  *59J 
161,  176,  180,  189,  191,  192,  195, 
198,  199;  armament,  73,  88 

Detroit   (Mich.)  :  17,  37,   124,  133 

Detroit  River:  19,  120 

Dobbins,  Daniel:  207 

Dobbins,  William  W:  work  cited, 
79,  207 

Dover  (British  ship) :  70  and  foot- 
note, 142  and  footnote,  152,  163 

Drummond,  Capt.  Adam:  137,  139 

EASTERBROOK,  JEREMIAH:  85 

East  Sister  Island:  43,  footnote 

Eaton,  Joseph  Gilis:  article  cited, 
207 

Edwards,  Lieut.  John  J:  80,  foot- 
note, 82,  86,  187  and  footnote, 
200 

Elliott,  Capt.  James  Duncan:  con- 
troversy with  Perry,  13,  27,  206- 
210;  sent  to  Buffalo,  19-20; 
joins  Perry,  22,  24,  footnote,  29, 
30,  33,  80,  206;  medal,  37;  court 
of  enquiry,  167,  171-199;  letter 
of,  171-172;  opinion  of  court, 
201 ;  defense  of,  207,  210;  speech 
of,  207 

Emmons,  George  Foster:  work  cit- 
ed, 208 

Epervier    (U.S.S.):    179,    footnote 

Erie  (Pa.)  :  20,  23,  24,  91,  124, 
156,  footnote,  158-160 

Erie  Bar  (near  Erie,  Pa.)  :  20,  21, 
1 20 

Evans,  Capt.  Samuel:  174,  184, 
197 


FAIRFIELD,  STEPHEN:  85 
Farquhar,  Capt.  Arthur:  137,   139 
Felton,  John:  86 

Finnis,  Commander  Robert  A:  24, 
footnote,  30,  69,  75,  144,  146, 

iSS,  »59 
Foote,     Edward     James     (British 

rear-admiral) :  137,  139 
Forrest,    Lieut.    Dulaney:    41,    45, 

80,    footnote,    81,    84,    99,    181; 

testimony  of,  199-200 
Fort  Dearborn:   17 
Fort  George  (Canada) :  156 
Fort  Maiden:   see   Maiden 
Fort  Meigs:  18,  63 
Fort  Michilimackinac:  17,  34 
Fort  Seneca:  18,  22 
Fort  Stephenson:  18 
Fort  Wayne:  18 
Foster,   Midshipman  James:  75 
Fowke,  Capt.  George:  137,  139 
Fowler,  Ezekiel:  84 
Freeman,  John:  86 
Frolic  (U.S.S.) :  171 
Frost,  John:  work  cited,  208 

GARDEN,  LIEUT.  JOHN  CAMPBELL: 

7i,   75,   144 

Garland,  Lieut.  John:   31,  70,  75 

Gateshill,  Henry:  75 

Georgia,  legislature  of:  thanks 
Perry,  36 

Ghent,  treaty  of:  34 

Gilmour,  —  (deputy  commission- 
er general) :  164 

Gilmore,  Richard:  164,  footnote 

Gladiator    (British    naval    ship) : 

137,   139 

Graham's  Magazine:  cited,  207 
Green,  Isaac:  87 
Greetham,  Mr.  — :  139,  154 
Guerriere     (British    naval    ship) : 

137,  footnote 


218 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 


HALL,  RONVELL:  86 

Hall  Jr.,  Dr.  A:  125 

Hadley,  James:  85 

Hambleton,  Samuel:  80,  footnote, 
wounded,  82,  84,  87 

Hammond,  Thomas:  85 

Hardy,  Isaac:  86 

Harland,  Jesse:  84 

Harrington,  Charles,  85 

Harrison,  Gen.  William  Henry: 
movements  of,  18-19,  34  and 
footnote;  21,  22,  23;  dispatches 
to,  41,  43;  letters  to,  59,  63-64, 
9i,  93,  95,  124,  158,  207 

Harvey,  Lieut-Col.  John:  159 

Hazard,  Newport:  85 

Heath,  Capt.  — :  205 

Helan,  James:  85 

Heywood,  Capt.  Peter:  141 

Hill,  Robert:  85 

Hill,  Thomas:  85 

Hoffman,  John:  5*8,  84 

Hoffmeister,  J.  M:  71,  75 

Holdup,  Lieut.  Thomas:  24,  foot- 
note, 181 

Horton,  Capt.  Benjamin:  63,  foot- 
note 

Horton,  Jr.,  Capt.  Benjamin:  63, 
footnote 

Horton,  Capt.  James:  63,  footnote 

Horton,  Capt.  William:  63,  foot- 
note 

Hull,  Gen.  Isaac:  17,  18 

Hunter  (British  naval  ship) :  23, 
24,  footnote,  27,  28,  30,  31,  33, 
58,  70,  75,  83,  180,  189;  arma- 
ment of,  88,  148 

Huntington,  Webster  P:  work  cit- 
ed, 208 

Huse,  Lannon:  85 

INDIAN  HEAD   (Md) :  35,  footnote 
Ingersoll,  Charles  Jared:  208 


Inglis,  Lieut.  George:  31,  71;  let- 

ter of,  51,  53-54 
Irvine,  Lieut.  Robert:  24,  footnote, 

30,  69  and  footnote,  144 
Irving,   L.   Homfray:  work  cited, 

103,  footnote 
Irving,   Washington:   work   cited, 

208 

JAMES,  WILLIAM:  work  cited,  77, 
208 

Jarvis,  Russell:  work  cited,  183, 
footnote,  208 

Johnes,  Charles:  58 

Johnson,  Westerly:  84 

Johnson,  William:  85 

Jones,  James:  58,  84 

Jones,  William  (secretary  of  the 
navy):  dispatch  to,  45,  49; 
sketch  of,  45  ;  letters  to,  77,  79- 
89,  91-92,  97,  99,  101,  103,  105, 
109,  131,  133-134;  letters  of, 
in,  113-114,  119-120,  127,  129- 


KEEN,  WILLIAM  C:  85 
Kelly,  John  C:  58,  84 
Kennedy,  Joseph:  58,  84 
Kingsford,   William:   work   cited, 

208 

Kingston  (Canada)  :  155,  162 
Kinsley,  Peter:  85 

LADY  PREVOST  (British  naval 
ship)  :  23,  24,  footnote,  28,  30, 
33,  58,  68,  70,  71,  75,  83,  92,  157, 
157,  181,  189;  armament  of,  73, 
88,  147 

Lake  Erie:  military  movements 
near,  18,  19,  34,  103,  footnote, 
123,  156,  171 

Lake  Huron:  17,  120 

Lake  Michigan:  17 


INDEX 


219 


Lake  Ontario:  92  155-157 

Laub,  Midshipman  Henry:  58,  80, 
footnote;  death  of,  81,  84 

Lawrence  (U.S.S.)  :  20,  21,  24, 
footnote,  29-34,  55,  57,  5»,  79' 
81,  87,  121,  123,  124,  145,  146, 
147,  175-179,  181-182,  184-200; 
armament  of,  27,  73,  88 ;  killed 
and  wounded,  84-85;  sick  on 
board,  85 

Leonard,  Master  -  commandant 
James  T:  134  and  footnote 

Lewis,  Joseph:  85 

Lexington  (U.  S.  sloop)  :  35,  foot- 
note 

Library  of  Congress  (Washing- 
ton, D.C.):  13 

Linnet  (British  naval  brig)  :  155, 
footnote 

Little  Belt  (British  naval  ship) : 
in  battle  of  Lake  Erie,  24,  foot- 
note, 28,  30,  33 ;  armament  of, 
88,  148  and  footnote 

Lloyd,  Capt.  David:  137,  139 

Long  Point  (Canada) :  21,  157, 
160,  161 

Lossing,  John  Benson:  works  cit- 
ed, 41,  45,  55,  208 

Lounsbury,  Thomas  Raynesford: 
27,  footnote;  work  cited,  208 

Lucas,  John:  86 

Lucas,  Sir  Charles  Presrwood: 
work  cited,  209 

Lyman,  Olin  Linus:  work  cited, 
209 

MCAFEE,  ROBERT  BRECKENRIDGE  : 
work  cited,  209 

McCain,  Barney:  85 

MacKenzie,  Alexander  Slidell: 
207;  work  cited,  209 

Maclay,  Edgar  Stanton:  work  cit- 
ed, 209 


McMahoney,  George:  86 
Madison,    President    James:    113, 

129,  133,  171 
Magrath,    Purser   Humphrey:    80, 

footnote,  82,  200  and  footnote 
Mahan,       Rear-Admiral      Alfred 

Thayer:    work    cited,    27,    foot- 
note; 135,  153,  footnote,  209 
Maiden  (Canada) :  17,  19,  22,  23, 

24,  91,  120,  124 
Martin,  Edward:  86 
Mason,  Francis:  85 
Mason,  Gen.  John:  119,   footnote 
Mason,  Sergeant  — :  86 
Mattison,  Andrew,  85 
Maumee  River:  18 
Maverick,  P:  cited,  212 
Mayhew,   Christopher:  84 
Mayo,  Christian:  58 
Mays,  Wilson:  58,  84 
Michael,  Andrew:  58,  84 
Michigan    (State)  :   19,   34 
Michilimackinac:  see  Fort  Michil- 

imackinac 

Middle  Sister  Island:  43,  footnote 
Miller,  Thomas:  86 
Mills,   James   Cooke:  work  cited, 

209 
Montgomery,     Midshipman    John 

B:   testimony  of,    187-194,    187, 

footnote 

Morell,  Peter:  86 
Morton,    Edward    Payson:    work 

cited,  209 
Moses,  James:  85 
Mudge,»  Capt.     Zachariah:     137, 

139 

Mulcaster,  Sir  William  Howe:  156 

and   footnote 
Mulligan,  Capt.  Richard  Thomas: 

13 
Murray,    Commodore    Alexander: 

173,  184,  197,  202 


. 


22O 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 


NAILES,  JOHN:  87 

National  Intelligencer:  reference 
to,  45 

Naval  Academy,  U.S:  57,  footnote 

Naval  Chronicle  (British) :  cited, 
36,  footnote,  51,  65,  140,  171, 
footnote,  174,  footnote 

Naval  Temple:  cited,   209 

Navy  Department,  U.S:  docu- 
ments from,  13,  21,  22,  45,  55, 
77,  89,  91,  97,  101,  105,  in,  113, 
117,  119,  127,  129,  131,  135,  169, 
171 

Neeser,  Robert  Wilden:  mentioned, 
63,  footnote ;  work  cited,  207, 
209 

Newen,  John:  85 

New  England  Historical  and  Gen- 
eological  Register:  cited,  210 

Newport  (R.I.) :  20;  honors  Per- 
ry, 36 

New  York  Historical  Society:  45 

Niagara  (U.S.S.) :  20,  21,  24,  foot- 
note, 29-34,  43,  49,  53  and  foot- 
note, 57,  69,  80-82,  87,  95,  144- 
147,  171,  172,  footnote,  174,  202; 
armament  of,  27,  74,  88 ;  killed 
and  wounded,  86 

Niagara  River:  19 

Niles'  Register:  cited,  35,  footnote, 
36,  45,  5i,  59,  65,  77,  93,  119, 
footnote,  141,  209 

O'KEEFE,  ARTHUR:  71 
Ontario    (U.S.S.) :   171    and   foot- 
note, 172 
Ordun,  Charles:  86 

PACKET,  LIEUT.  JOHN:  24,  footnote, 

80,  footnote,  82 
Page,    Capt.    Benjamin    William: 

137,   139 
Page,  Hugh  N:  183 


Parsons,  Charlotte:  125 

Parsons,  Dr.  Usher:  quotation 
from  diary,  55,  57-58;  letter  of, 
121,  123-125 ;  works  cited,  209- 
210 

Parsons,  William:  letter  to,  121, 
123-125 

Pennsylvania,  legislature  of: 
thanks  Perry,  36 

Perkins,  Isaac:  86 

Perkins,  William  B:  85 

Perry,  Capt.  C.  R:  20,  footnote 

Perry,  Commodore  Oliver  Hazard: 
20,  24,  footnote,  36,  43,  footnote, 
73,  footnote,  153,  footnote,  211; 
sketch  of  life,  20,  footnote,  35, 
footnote;  early  movements  on 
Lake  Erie,  20-24;  >n  battle  of 
Lake  Erie,  28-34,  57,  59,  63-64, 
69,  72,  174-181 ;  quotations  from 
letters,  21-23 ;  movements  after 
battles,  34,  footnote,  35;  honors 
to,  35-37;  despatches  of,  41,  43; 
letters  of,  45,  49,  59,  63-64,  77, 

79-87,  89,  91-92,  93,  95,  97,  99, 
101,  103,  109,  127,  129-130,  131, 
I33'134,  206,  208;  letters  to, 
in,  113-114,  117,  119-120;  pro- 
motion, 27 ;  books  and  articles 
on,  206-212 

Perry-Elliott  Controversy:  13,  27, 
206-210;  book  on,  210 

Perry  Memorial  and  Centennial 
Celebration:  210 

Perry   Monument:   210,   211 

Perry    Statue:   211 

Perry's  Victory  Centenary:  211 

Perry's  Victory  Centennial  Sou- 
venir: 211 

Peters,  Nelson:  58,  84 

Philadelphia  (U.S.S.):  133,  foot- 
note 

Philips,  James:  86 


INDEX 


221 


Platt,   George:   86 

Pohig,   Charles:   58,   84 

Porcupine  (U.S.S.) :  21,  24,  foot- 
note, 27,  29,  30,  86,  87,  88,  147, 
176,  191 ;  armament  of,  73 

Portage  River:  103  and  footnote, 
109 

Portsmouth    (Eng.) :   137,   139 

Presque  Isle:  see  Erie    (Pa.) 

Prevost,  Sir  George:  155  and  foot- 
note, 160,  162,  165,  167 

Price,   Benoni:   85 

Pring,  Commander  Daniel:  155 
and  footnote 

Procter,  Gen.  Henry:  64  and  foot- 
note, 67,  160-167 

Purvis,  Lieut.  Francis:  71;  testi- 
mony of,  144-151 

Public  Record  Office  (London) : 
documents  from,  13,  51,  65 

Put-in-Bay  (Lake  Erie) :  22,  24, 
28,  57,  67,  68,  79,  91,  99,  123, 

175,    210,    212 

QUEEN  CHARLOTTE  (British  naval 
ship) :  23,  24,  footnote,  27,  28, 
30,  31,  33,  34,  53,  54,  58,  68-72, 
75,  83,  92,  142-144,  146,  151, 
'52,  '57,  X58,  180,  187,  189,  193, 
198,  202 ;  armament  of,  73,  88, 

H7 
Quilliam,  Capt.  John:  137,  139 

RAISIN  RIVER:  18 

Rattlesnake    (U.S.S.)  :   171 

Reed,  Thomas:  85 

Rhode  Island  Historical  Society: 
55,  121 

Robinson,  Thomas:  85 

Rodgers,  Lieut  George  Washing- 
ton: 174,  184,  197 

Rodgers,  Commander  John:  137, 
footnote,  174,  footnote 

Roe,   William:  85 


Rolette,  Lieut.  Francis:  31,  75 
Roosevelt,  Col.  Theodore:  quoted, 

27-33;  works  cited,  211-212 
Rose,  John:  58,  84 
Rottenburg,    Gen.    Francis    Baron 

de:  160  and  footnote 
Rum  as,  John:  83 

SACKETTS  HARBOR   (N.Y.) :  19 

Salmagundi:  cited,  208 

Sandusky  Bay:  19,  22,  23,  103, 
footnote,  120 

Sandusky  River:  18 

Sansford,    James:    86 

Schroeder,  Henry:  85 

Scoffield,  George:  86 

Scorpion  (U.S.S.) :  21,  24,  foot- 
note, 27,  29,  31,  34,  82,  87,  147, 
176,  180,  187,  191 ;  armament 
of,  74,  88 

Scott,  Corporal  — :  86 

Senat,  Sailing-master  George:  24, 
footnote 

Senecatown:  see  Fort  Seneca 

Seymour,  Capt.  George  Francis: 
137,  139 

Sharbley,  Philip:  84 

Simpson,   William:   85 

Sloss,  William:  86 

Slyhamamer,  John:  87 

Smith,   John:   58,  84 

Smith,  Lieut.  Joseph  E:  80,  foot- 
note, 82,  200  and  footnote 

Somers  (U.S.S.) :  21,  24,  footnote, 
27,  29,  30,  86,  147,  176;  arma- 
ment of,  74,  88 

South  Bass  Island:  22,  23 

Spalding,  Rufus  Paine:  work  cit- 
ed, 212 

Spears,  John  Randolph:  work  cit- 
ed, 212 

Spywood,  Samuel :  84 

Stevens,  Lieut.  Thomas  Holdup: 
see  Holdup 


222 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE  ERIE 


Stewart,   Charles  West:  13 
Stokoe,  Lieut.  Thomas:  30,  69,  75; 

testimony  of,    142-144,    151-152 
Stone,  Jonas:  85 
Strebeck,  John  M:  86 
Swartout,   Midshipman  Augustus: 

80,  footnote,  85;  wounded,   81 
Sykes,  Ethelred  or  Eatheldras:  58, 

84 

TATEM,  ROBERT  S:  testimony  of, 
195-197 

Taylor,  Sailing-master  W.V:  55, 
80,  footnote,  84,  181 

Thames,  battle  of:  34,  124,  foot- 
note 

Thompson,  William:  85 

Tiffany,  Francis:  work  cited,  27, 
footnote,  212 

Tiffany,  Nina  Moore:  work  cited, 
27,  footnote  212 

Tigress  (U.S.S.):  21,  24,  foot- 
note, 27,  29,  30,  87,  147,  176, 
183,  footnote;  armament  73 

Trapnel,  Joshua:  86 

Trippe  (U.S.S.) :  24,  footnote,  27, 
29,  3°,  34.  87»  H7,  176,  183, 
footnote;  armament  of,  73 

Tuff,   Thomas:  85 

Turner,  Lieut.  Daniel:  24,  foot- 
note, 32,  80,  footnote,  92,  183 
and  footnote,  188 

UPPER  CANADA:  see  Canada 

VANDYKE,  CHARLES:  85 
Vanpoole,   Henry:   85 
Varnum,  George:  85 
Vincent,  Gen.  John:  156  and  foot- 
note,   159,   160   and   footnote 

WABASH  RIVER:  18 
Waddington,  James:  85 
Wade,  Nathaniel:  85 


Ward,  James  Harman:  work  cit- 
ed, 212 

Warren,  Admiral  Sir  John  Bor- 
lase:  155  and  footnote,  166 

Washington  (D.C.)  :  honors  Per- 
ry. 36,  41,  45,  77,  "3,  "9,  129, 
169,  173 

Webster,  Lieut.  Nelson:  80,  foot- 
note, 83  ;  testimony  of,  174-179, 
184-187 

West  Sister  Island  or  (Western 
Sisters)  :  24,  43  and  footnote, 

49 

Wheaton,  Henry:  174  and  foot- 
note, 184,  202 

White,  John:  86 

Whitman,   Benjamin:  work   cited, 

212 

Wiley,  Elias:  86 
Williams,  Abner:  84 
Williams,  George:  85 
Williams,  Jesse:  85 
Wilson,  Robert:  86 
Wilson,  Thomas:  86 
Winsor,  Justin:  27,  footnote 
Wolfe    (British  corvette) :   155 
Wood,  Capt.  Sir  James  Athol:  137, 

139 

Woodford,  Sir  Ralph:  35,  foot- 
note 

YANCEY,  GOODLOE  EARLE:  13 
Yaple,   George  Reid:  work  cited: 

212 

Yarnall,  Lieut.  John  J:  31,  80  and 
footnote,  84,  91;  wounded,  81; 
testimony,  179-184 

Yeo,  Commodore  Sir  James  Lu- 
cas: letter  to,  65,  67-75;  J37  ar>d 
footnote,  140,  141  and  footnote, 
156-163,  166,  167 

Young,  Dr.  George  Peter  Martin: 
testimony  of,  152-153 

York    (Canada) :  156 


Prepared  for  publication  and  privately  printed  for 

The  Rowfant  Club,  on  Venetia  handmade  paper,  by 

The  Arthur  H.  Clark  Company 

Cleveland,  MCMXVIII 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  LOS  ANGELES 

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